SRMIST’s SPH marks successful completion of Health Survey

School of Public Health (SPH) at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur, celebrated the successful completion and dissemination of the key findings of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS -5) for the state of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (SRM MCH&RC).

NFHS-5, the fifth in the NFHS rounds, provides information on population, health, and nutrition for India and each state/union territory (UT) and also provides data at the district Level. NFHS-5 includes some new topics, such as preschool education, disability, access to a toilet facility, death registration, menstrual hygiene and abortion. The scope of clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical testing (CAB) has also been extended to include measurement of waist and hip circumferences and the age range for the measurement of blood pressure and blood glucose has been expanded.

Chief Guest, Dr P Kuganantham, member of the Chief Minister’s Expert Advisory Committee for COVID-19 said, “this is an eye-opener about the health status of India. Data helps to make decisions. It highlights the public health of the community and the nation at large.”

He elaborated and stated the strategies used in Survey 1 conducted in 1993. He said that public health is always side-lined. During a pandemic, it was Public Health that came to the rescue in TN, he said and added, “During COVID only a third of the affected were admitted in hospitals, while the others were treated through a good public health system in TN.”

Appreciating the dedication of SPH, Pro-Chancellor (Academics), Dr P Sathyanarayanan said, “The aim of such ‘findings’ is to prevent pandemic such as COVID 19.