Centre allays concerns over ‘missing’ NHFS indicators, says fact sheets not final report

CErtain wellness indicators found missing in the late released subject fellowship wellness Survey (NFHS)-6 fact sheet are a result of the government’s efforts toward data harmonisation, according to people familiar with the matter.The fact sheets are designed to present the most policy-relevant headline findings while supporting efforts to streamline reporting across India’s growing network of specialised surveys and administrative databases, they said.On reports regarding the absence of certain indicators, a senior official in the ministry of health and family welfare said, “The objective is to ensure that each indicator is reported through the most appropriate and authoritative source, reducing duplication and improving overall data coherence.”“The evolution of the NFHS reporting framework reflects the growing maturity of India’s statistical architecture, where multiple specialised surveys and administrative databases increasingly complement one another to provide a more comprehensive, accurate and policy-relevant picture of the country’s development journey,” the official added.The official further said that several indicators cited as missing from the Fact Sheets are already being monitored through dedicated national systems. Sanitation and clean cooking fuel coverage, for instance, are tracked through specialised surveys and administrative platforms such as Swachh Survekshan Grameen and the ministry of statistics and programme implementation’s surveys, making duplication within the fact sheets unnecessary.Similarly, key statistics relating to mortality, birth registration and population characteristics continue to be generated through established systems such as the Sample Registration System (SRS), Civil Registration System (CRS) and Census framework, which remain the country’s designated sources for these indicators.On anaemia estimates, the official said that haemoglobin testing was not undertaken in NFHS-6 due to concerns surrounding the capillary blood sampling methodology used in previous rounds. Instead, anaemia prevalence estimates will be derived from the Indian Council of Medical Research’s Diet and Biomarkers Survey, which employs gold-standard venous blood sampling methods to improve accuracy and reliability.“Far from narrowing the survey’s scope, NFHS-6 has introduced several new indicators into the Fact Sheets, including population composition, elderly population share, financial inclusion, antenatal care utilisation, vaccination coverage, severe diarrhoeal disease prevalence and expanded breastfeeding indicators,” said the official. “The release of the NFHS-6 Fact Sheets marks an important milestone in India’s evolving health and statistical ecosystem, highlighting key gains in health, nutrition and population indicators while advancing the government’s broader efforts to harmonise national data systems,” the official added.The officials in the health ministry also said that the fact sheets are only the first stage of dissemination and should not be viewed as the comprehensive NFHS-6 national report, which will be released subsequently with a far wider range of indicators, detailed analyses and methodological documentation.“It will be presented in greater detail in the full National Report, including granular family planning indicators, selected child health interventions, further aspects related to women’s health and HIV-related findings. NFHS remains India’s largest and most comprehensive household health survey and continues to serve as a cornerstone for evidence-based policymaking,” said the official cited above.The official informed that the final national report is being prepared in consultation with technical experts, relevant ministries and development partners before its release.“The NFHS questionnaire undergoes periodic refinement to reflect emerging policy priorities while maintaining survey quality and reducing respondent burden. Such refinement is a globally accepted practice adopted by major household surveys worldwide,” said the official.“The Fact Sheets are the first stage of dissemination. The detailed National Report will provide a much broader picture. The focus of NFHS-6 remains unchanged—delivering high-quality evidence to support better health outcomes and informed policymaking,” the official added.