Our aim is to create a space for better medical data, says ICMR chief

NDQF has been launched to usher in standardisation and enhanced quality in the existing ongoing periodic surveys and routine programme data landscape in India

The Indian Council for Medical Research’s National Institute for Medical Statistics (ICMR–NIMS), in partnership with Population Council, recently launched the National Data Quality Forum. Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR speaks to Aditi Phadnis elaborating on how the platform will bring both data producers and consumers on a common platform and ensure efficient utilisation of the quality data in formulating policies. Edited excerpts:

Why are we launching another exercise to collect health-data when India already has the Family Health Survey, the NSSO, the Census?

The National Data Quality Forum (NDQF) is a platform where both data producers and consumers