Question : DISTRICT LEVEL HEALTH NUTRITIONAL SURVEY

(a) whether adequate quantity and quality of nutrition data is available for policy-makers for rolling out new programmes to address malnutrition and other health issues in the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(b) whether District Level Health/ Nutritional Surveys are being regularly conducted by the Government, if so, the details of such surveys conducted on the last occasion along with the outcomes thereof, State/UT -wise and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether most of our neighbouring countries are reported to have undertaken two nutritional surveys each during the last decade and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the steps being taken by the Government to conduct district level nutritional surveys on a regular basis for better planning and implementation of various health schemes?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 449 FOR 24 APRIL, 2015

(a)& (b): The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has periodically conducted various large scale surveys on health/nutrition, namely, National Family Health Survey (NFHS), District Level Household Survey (DLHS) and Annual Health Survey (AHS). Three rounds of NFHS have already been completed during the years 1992-93 (NFHS-1), 1998-99 (NFHS-2) and 2005- 06 (NFHS-3). DLHS was conducted during 1998-99 (DLHS-1), 2002-2004 (DLHS-2), 2007-08 (DLHS-3) and 2012-13 (DLHS-4). Annual Health Survey (AHS) was conducted during 2010-1 l(AHS-l), 2011-12 (AHS-2) and 2012-13 (AHS-3). Nutrition data were collected in all rounds of NFHS, DLHS-2, DLHS-4 and AHS-3. In addition, the component on Clinical Anthropometric and Bio-chemical (CAB) tests included in DLHS-4 and AHS-3 measured inter-alia nutritional parameters. Data on key indicators as available from DLHS-4 for 21 States/UTs and from AHS-3 for 9 States are given at Annexures I & II. The results from CAB component of AHS-3 have not been published so far.

(c): Neighbouring countries, namely, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan are reported to have conducted two or more national nutrition / health survey during 2005-2015.

(d): The Ministry has decided to integrate different surveys and conduct an integrated NFHS to provide district, State and national level estimates with a periodicity of three years for better planning and implementation of various health schemes. The fieldwork for NFHS-4 has already been launched in 2014.