National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW)
The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), an autonomous organisation, was established in the year 1977 by the merger of two national level institutions, viz. the NIHAE (National Institute of Health Administration and Education) and the NIFP (National Institute of Family Planning). The Institute addresses a wide range of issues on health and family welfare from a variety of perspectives through the departments of Communication, Community Health Administration, Education and Training, Epidemiology, Management Sciences, Medical Care and Hospital Administration, Population Genetics and Human Development, Planning and Evaluation, Reproductive Bio-Medicine, Statistics and Demography and Social Sciences. Vision To be seen as an Institute of global repute in public health and family welfare management. Mission To act as an ‘Apex Technical Institute’ as well as a ‘Think Tank’ for promotion of health and family welfare programmes in the country. Core Values Excellence, Equity, Convergence, Market Orientation and Sustainability have been the overall core values of the Institute. Thrust Areas The focus of the Institute has been centered around major issues in line with Millennium Development Goals viz. Health and related Policies, Public Health Management, Health Sector Reforms, Health Economics and Financing, Population Stabilization/Optimisation, Reproductive Health, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, Health Services Research, Hospital Management, Communication for Health, Training Technology in Health and Gender Sensitisation. Areas of Concern Further to support the Millennium Development Goals, the Institute has decentralised its activities specifically with reference to:
- Reproductive and Child Health-II
- HIV/AIDS
- Gender Sensitivity/Care of Girl Child
- Population Stabilization
- Advocacy for Health
- Adolescent Health
- Public-Private Partnership
- Social Health Insurance
- Health Management Information System
- Care of Elderly
Population Education Functioning of the Institute The functioning of the Institute is governed by three top-most bodies viz. Governing Body, the Standing Finance Committee and the Programme Advisory Committee. The governing body, constituted under the Chairmanship of the Hon’ble Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, looks after the policy decisions of the Institute. The Standing Finance Committee controls the financial management of the Institute. The Programme Advisory Committee advises the Institute in matters related to education and training, research and evaluation, specialised projects, and consultancy, advisory and specialised services for promotion of health and family welfare programmes in the country. Education and Training In-service training of health personnel of various categories, undertaking research studies/projects, especially, operational research through the multi-disciplinary research team and establishment of institutional mechanisms for co-operation/coordination with health planners, health care providers and managerial experts have been the major areas of focus and interest of the Institute. The Institute has been identified by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as the Nodal Institute for coordinating in-service training under Reproductive and Child Health-II/National Rural Health Mission in the country. Over the years, the Institute has become very popular for its in-service training programmes, for example, the European Commission has been supporting the ‘Professional Development Course in Management, Public Health and Health Sector Reforms for District Medical Officers’. Major education and training programmes of the Institute include
(i) a three-year Post-Graduate Degree Course M.D. in Community Health Administration,
(ii) a two-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Administration,
(iii) a one-year Post-Graduate Certificate Course in Health and Family Welfare Management through Distance Learning,
(iv) a one-year Post-Graduate Certificate Course in Hospital Management through Distance Learning; and
(v) various short-term training courses, ranging from one to ten weeks duration.
Courses under Proposal
(i) Multi-Institutional Masters Course in Health Management There are a number of initiatives to train the medical personnel to man the health care programmes at different levels. The doctors are encouraged to go in for Diploma in Public Health and Master’s Degree in Community Medicine. However, these courses do not fulfil the requirements of a manager who can manage the health care delivery system at different levels. Therefore, the Multi-Institutional Masters Course in Health Management has been proposed by the Institute. This course will be conducted by the Institute in collaboration with Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad; International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai; and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The course is in the process of development.
(ii) Masters in Public Health We need to induct freshly trained health care managers into the system so that they can help the health system become more responsive to the needs of the community and also ensure proper utilization of funds. Therefore, the Institute has taken up this issue in a big way and has initiated dialogue with institutions/universities of repute to develop master’s level course in public health. Research and Evaluation The research programmes of the Institute pertain to operational research, applied research and evaluation of health programmes. A few basic research studies in the area of reproductive health are also undertaken. Many studies are undertaken on the request of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, international and bilateral organizations. In addition, the Institute faculty as well as the research staff members develop research projects on major issues of health and family welfare of national and regional importance. Specialised Projects
(a) National Nodal Agency for Training under NRHM The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare has been designated as the National Nodal Agency for organizing and monitoring the training programmes under NRHM in collaboration with 18 collaborative training institutes in the country. Development of training materials and guidelines; training of trainers; and disbursement of funds and monitoring of training activities, both physical and financial; were the major responsibilities of the Institute under NRHM/RCH-II.
(b) Annual Sentinel Surveillance for HIV Infection NIHFW has been entrusted with the responsibility of supervision and monitoring of the Annual Sentinel Surveillance activities by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) for ensuring quality assurance and control as well as to prepare a report on the epidemiological status of HIV Infection in the country right from the start of the activity in 1998. The sentinel surveillance was undertaken, using “Unlinked Anonymous Testing Strategy”, among different population groups representing core risk groups, bridge population and general population. The total sites were eleven hundred plus ensuring at least one site per district. NIHFW conducted trainings of officers from all States AIDS Control Societies for web-based data entry at (NIHFW website) and Geographical Information System for data entry and integrated data analysis.
(c) National Public Health Consortium National Public Health Consortium is an effort to pool the experiences and expertise of several National, Regional and State Institutions as well as NGOs, who have been contributing to the area of health and family welfare training. The objectives of the Consortium include :
(i) to carry out research as well as to disseminate research findings to other collaborating institutions;
(ii) to develop innovative approaches to improve training process, learning materials and exchange materials, resources and expertise in the area of training and human resource development;
(iii) to assist collaborating institutions to strengthen their competencies in training and research; and
(iv) to develop resource bases on research and training in community health.
(d) National Health Management Consortium National consortium of health management was set-up in the Institute in 1992 in collaboration with various management and public health institutions located in various parts of the country. The main idea behind the consortium was to discuss as well as to workout solutions to various managerial problems faced by the health mangers in the delivery of health care services in the country. Now, the health management consortium is focussing on issues concerning National Rural Health Mission.
(e) Integrated Management of Neo-natal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) The IMNCI aims at addressing issues such as knowledge of parents about the protective value of breast feeding, ignorance of parents about warning signs and symptoms of diseases, importance of home-based care, special care for under nourished new-borns, etc. The Institute has assumed a very significant role in this direction as a nodal training centre and is responsible for coordinating and implementing the operational guidelines of IMNCI in 125 districts of the country.
(f) Rapid Assessment of Health Interventions for NRHM The Institute collaborates with UNFPA to strengthen the capabilities of a set of identified institutions, particularly in the EAG states, with special reference to RCH as well as to help them conduct research on priority areas as relevant to local programme needs. The findings of the studies conducted in a rapid mode will help the programme managers to bring about an improvement in the programme implementation. Specialised Services A set of specialised services are provided by the institute as a part of its commitment and adherence to the principle of service to the community.
(a)Clinical Services NIHFW has been recognized as one of the centres for work in the area of reproductive health care. The laboratory facilities for an in-depth investigation of the causes for the reproductive disorders such as endocrinological, anatomical/surgical, genetic and others deserve mention. The scientific approaches adopted in the management of endocrinological and reproductive disorders and infertility management have paid rich dividends. Besides, the needs of adolescents and youth have been looked after by the Adolescent and Youth Clinic of the Institute by giving them counselling and health education so as to help them to lead a healthy life.
(b) National Documentation Centre (NDC) The National Documentation Centre (NDC) caters to the needs of the health professionals and researchers in and outside the Institute as well as to the participants of various training courses. The National Documentation Centre is being expanded as an information resource centre to provide necessary information on health and family welfare to all researchers and trainers all over the country. Over a period of two decades, it has a well-balanced and up-to-date collection of over 70,000 documents including books, periodicals, technical and research reports, conference proceedings, modules and other non-book materials. NDC has special collection of the following:
- WHO publications
- UN publications
- NIHFW publications
- Census publications
- National Family Health Survey Publications
- RCH-RHS Publications
- Back volumes of periodicals The Institute plans to set up a National Documentation Centre for Child Health in NDC in collaboration with Norway-India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) to improve child health in the country through knowledge, sharing and dissemination.
(c) Department of Communication NIHFW has the facility for projection services, photography and preparation of audio-visual material for different training courses of the institute. Department of communication is planning to produce documentaries, corporate films, dvd films and spots for dissemination of health and family welfare messages through different modes like AIR, Doordarshan, etc. to promote awareness among mass. Media advocacy has become the prior motto of the organization to achieve a positive BCC outcome all over the country.
(d) Print and Publication The Institute publishes its quarterly journal, Health and Population: Perspectives and Issues, with articles on research studies conducted all over the country. This is indexed/abstracted by eight national and international abstracting agencies and circulated at both national and international levels. Besides, the Institute brings out regularly a quarterly newsletter as well as attempts to bring out certain specialised publications on different health programmes being launched by the Government of India. The Institute is well equipped with the printing unit to undertake the printing activities of the Institute.
(e) Reprography Unit The research, training, consultancy, administrative and documentation activities of the Institute are supported by the Reprography Unit of the institute.
(f) Media Learning Resource Centre The Media Learning Resource Centre of the Institute has three service units, namely; micro-teaching unit, audio-visual unit and training resource material development unit. Micro-teaching unit provides trainers and faculty an opportunity to improve their training skills. Audio-visual unit facilitates the pre-listening and pre-viewing of the audio-visual material before it is used for training.
(g) Computer Centre The Computer Center is linked with all departments/ units in the institute through campus wide computer network supported by powerful servers. Leased line connection is obtained to provide Internet facilities to Faculty, Research and Administrative staff. The functioning of academic cell, administration, finance, hospital, hostel, library, stores etc. is fully computerised under the initiatives taken by the computer centre. The Institute started the establishment of campus Wide Area Network and computerising different units in the institute. The Computer Centre is also providing access to MEDLARS Search Facility through its MEDLINE Database and Delhi Library Network (DELNET) databases. The MEDLARS Search (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval Systems) is one of the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) databases. In Delhi, National Informatics Centre (NIC) has set up Indian Medlars Centre (IMC) with an agreement with NLM, USA. MEDLINE is NLM’s bibliographic database covering the fields of medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine and the preclinical sciences. It is one of the most popular and extensively used database of the 40 databases constituting MEDLARS. It covers 3800 core biomedical journals from 70 countries. It includes citations from Index Medicus, Index to Dental Literature and International Nursing Index. The MEDLINE database of Indian Medlars Centre can be accessed by users at Computer Centre, NIHFW through NICNET, the National Informatics Centre’s satellite based computer communication network. This database is updated once a month. MEDLARS system is accessible to NICNET users 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dial up users in Delhi as well as those users outside Delhi who have their own VSATs can access the system round the clock. Networking The Institute has been known for its networking at the national as well as at international levels. The Institute has the privilege of having worked with Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK; East-West Centre, Hawaii, USA; European Commission; UNFPA; UNICEF; WHO; USAID; World Bank; etc. Facilities
(a) Teaching Block The Teaching block has 10 lecture halls, 2 seminar rooms, 1 conference hall (with 70 seating capacity), and 1 auditorium (with 186 seating capacity) with public address system and audio-video recording facilities.
(b) Hostel and Guest House The Institute has boarding and lodging facilities and can accommodate more than 100 persons at a time. Administrative functions of the hostel are fully computerised. Hostel is also connected with the campus wide computer network.
(c) The Clinical Block A separate building for in-patient facilities is attached with the clinical block where provisions are made for keeping about 20 patients for observation. The out-patient and in-patient facilities include modern diagnostic equipments; including ultrasound.
(d) The Animal House For bio-medical research the Animal house maintains and breeds a colony of laboratory animals like rat, mice, guinea-pig and rabbit and maintains a large number of non human primates like bonnet monkeys. Future Direction In the light of Millennium Development Goals, the Institute has set certain goals with reference to
(i) improve maternal health;
(ii) reduce child mortality;
(iii) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;
(iv) develop a global partnership for development;
(v) promote gender equality and empower women and
(vi) ensure environmental sustainability. Besides, the Institute would like focus on equity, adolescent health. Primary education and ways and means to eradiate poverty and hunger.
Contacts
Munirka, New Dehi-11067
India
Tel : +91-11-2616 5959, 2616 6441, 2618 8485, 2610 7773
Fax : +91-11-2610 1623
Email: director@nihfw.org
Website: www.nihfw.org
Institution working on the following sectors
- Capacity Building
- Family Planning
- Gender
- HIV / AIDS
- Information Technology
- Monitoring & Evaluation
- Policy & Advocacy
- Population & Development
- Poverty Reduction
- Reproductive Health
- Research
Expert in -
Issues related to Health and Family Welfare
Working Languages
- English
Total Number of Staff and Trainer
- Staff : 355
- Trainer: 50
Focal Persons
Prof. Jayanta K. Das
Director
Tel: +91-11-2616-5959; 2616-6441; 2618-8485; 2610-7773
Fax: +91-11-2610-1623
Mobile: +91-0-99-7110-4666; 094-1225-7725
Email: dnandan51@yahoo.com; director@nihfw.org
Dr. Poonam Khatar
Email: poonamkhattar@gmail.com