Analysis of NITI AAYOG (National Institution for Transforming India) Health Index Report on the Ranking of States and Union Territories: Round 1 (2014-2016)-V1

Abstract

India has committed to adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity for all to be fulfilled by year 2030. Goal 3 of SDGs is about ensuring healthy lives with promoting wellbeing for all. National Institution for Transforming India- (NITI) Aayog had started the Health Index initiative for achieving desirable health outcomes. The key objective of the whole exercise is to track development on health, to develop healthy competition and cross learning among states and UTs. Health Index Scores and rankings are generated to assess Incremental Performance (year-to-year progress) and Overall Performance of state/UT for achievement of health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This novel study was a cross-sectional retrospective observational epidemiological study. The Health Index consists of a set of indicators in the domains of Health Outcomes, Governance and Information, and Key Inputs/Processes. Health Outcomes are assigned the highest weight, indicators were selected on the basis of their importance and availability of reliable data at least annually from pre- existing data sources such as the Sample Registration System (SRS), Civil Registration System (CRS) and Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). Data on indicators is included for Index calculations only after validation by the IVA.