UNFPA ties up with IIHMR University to train health officials for better health outcomes

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 5: With the aim of ensuring safety of the patient and creating quality improvement in healthcare, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has entered into a partnership with leading knowledge varsity the Indian Institute of Health &Management Research University (IIHMR U) to impart evidence led data collection training modules in reproductive health practices.

The UNFPA’s stated objective is to secure health calibers of pregnant women and new born children thereby aiding in voluntary family planning through a rights based approach. To that end, it engages stakeholders such as national regulatory authorities, health equipment and drug manufacturers, quality control laboratories and similar bodies in capacity building activities through regional workshops and on-site trainings. At the initial stage, health officials and district and block level data managers from 10 high priority districts will be sensitized on the importance of data use and in planning and monitoring health programs at their respective levels.

“Data collection at the primary healthcare level should involve a combination of the best research evidence with clinical expertise and personal values of the patient. This is in line with modern trends toward improved treatment and enhanced patient safety. This also fits in with our efforts to generate knowledge to help develop effective health, social and public systems and socially relevant health technologies. We are proud to collaborate with such a globally impacting agency as the UNFPA on such a critical project such as training health officials to gather data in the best way possible and contribute to reduce Maternal and Infant Mortality rates”, says Dr. Pankaj Gupta, President, IIHMR University.

The program will consist of consultation workshops on current practices of data use and gaps that exist in knowledge and skills, training modules for health officials and data managers, mentoring and hand-holding mechanisms through web-based applications, tools, checklists and report card formats. This will help increase knowledge among data users on data quality and analysis.

Strengthening of health systems has been a crucial element of national health agendas as a path to better health outcomes, greater efficacy of medicines and more robust public health program execution.