Aiming to create an accurate, relevant and up-to-date health information which is essential for the health service providers at all levels to initiate action on the gaps in the system based on evidence and information, the Union health ministry in collaboration with the registrar general of India (RGI) is launching an annual health survey in the country. The survey is being undertaken as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) project.

In the first phase, the survey will cover erstwhile empowered action group states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattishgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan, apart from Assam.

This survey aims to provide feedback on the impact of the schemes under NRHM in reduction of total fertility rate (TFR), infant mortality rate (IMR) at the district level and the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) at the regional level by estimating these rates on an annual basis for around 284 districts in these states.

The field work for the survey would be undertaken by private agencies and supervised by the officers of the RGI, where several posts have been created to monitor the work of the field agencies. The field work for the survey would commence during 2009-10 and the first set of results is likely to start flowing during 2010-11. The survey will be extended to other parts of the country after the successful completion of the first phase of the survey.

The NRHM was launched in April 2005, with a view to bringing about dramatic improvement in the health system and the health status of the people, especially those who live in the rural areas of the country. The Mission seeks to provide universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care which is accountable and at the same time responsive to the needs of the people. The NRHM also aims to achieve the goals set out under the National Health Policy and the Millennium Development Goals during the Mission period.