About us – National Institute of Health & Family Welfare
National Institute of Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW) was established on 9th March, 1978 as an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The NIHFW is India’s premier institute for research and training in public health. The main objectives of the institute are to work towards enhancing the Health Care Delivery System in India by providing quality Training, Consultancy and Research services relevant to public health. At present, there are five Centres within the institute focused on various aspects including Elderly Care, Maternal Care, Education and Training, Programmes Evaluation and Social Communication within the field of Public Health. Apart from this, a large number of Short-term Training programmes cover a wide spectrum of topics related to preventive healthcare activities and disease control measures.
The NIHFW has also developed many schemes like ‘Mission Vimukti Integrated Approach’ targeting vulnerable communities like tribal populations living in remote locations to improve their standard of living; ‘Safe Motherhood’ programme aiming at reducing maternal mortality rate in India; Charaka — an Integrated Rural Development Programme run by NIHFW targeting poverty alleviation among rural communities in India; ‘Niramaya’ — a programme aimed at improving reproductive health outcomes among adolescent girls and young women through peer education etc.
The NIHFW has collaborated with many foreign countries such as USAID to implement projects that have blended current global practices with local contexts for improved health outcomes across many regions of the country. Along with collaborations with other national organisations including WHO & UNICEF, NIHFW has implemented numerous projects leading to making positive changes across India adding more value for its citizens.
Vision:
To enable every citizen in India to attain the highest possible level of physical, mental, and social wellbeing through timely and quality healthcare services, equal access to care, and strong investment in health knowledge.
Mission:
To work with public and private sectors to establish a comprehensive health system that includes preventative health, curative care, the use of advanced technology, research on prevention and treatment of diseases, the education of citizens in preventive healthcare measures, and improved health literacy. We will strive to ensure quality healthcare services at an affordable cost while promoting efficient delivery models tailored to meet the needs of diverse cultures throughout India. We will also focus on addressing global health impacts and collaborating with international partners by bringing together key stakeholders within India’s healthcare system.
History
The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) is a premier institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It was established in 1975 as the National Institute of Health Administration and Education with the objective of promoting health care management, education and research. In 1979, it was renamed the National Institute of Family Welfare (NIFW). The Institute has been active in a number of areas related to health, family welfare and nutrition including training, research, evaluation and consultancy on public health and health systems issues.
NIHFW has made great strides in carrying out its mandate to promote public health, research and development. Since its establishment in 1975, NIHFW has organized several high-level conferences on public health topics such as AIDS control, maternal mortality, reproductive child health and nutrition diversified focusing on the identification of approaches for controlling morbidity & mortality from various chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus & cardiovascular diseases . It provides postgraduate training programmes through which professionals acquire expertise in preventive & promotive healthcare while being exposed to modern advances.
In April 2010 NIHFW entered into a MoU with AIIMS Bhubaneswar to promote collaboration between them assisted by USAID. NIHFW collaborates closely with global organizations such as WHO, UNICEF etc., USAID Indian government agencies like ICMR etc , state governments , universities , NGOs etc., It conducts regular courses at basic medical colleges that are affiliated to its degree programmes like MD/MS & Phd programmes . At present this institution is providing technical support to many states such MHRD Rajasthan for implementation & quality monitoring for NRHM schemes .It also carries out promotion programme for advocacy campaigns designed by MOHFW among general public as well communities .
Further expansion plans are envisioned including convening more seminars on current issues; involving intramural professionals from other academic institutions; establishing collaborative research activities with international organisations; organising more specialised training programs at both graduate and postgraduate levels ; encouraging translational researches where feasible ; advocating evidence based initiatives nationally or globally in order to improve public health status. Furthermore the goal is to develop NIHFW into a world class agency for imparting knowledge about family welfare planning programs through multi disciplinary approach activating substantial stake holder linkages across all level groups/ categories in varied tiers/strata( i.e rural / urban settings)of society at large through use of scientific tools available today & expanding interdisciplinary strategies so as achieve improved socio-economic standards & healthier Human Development Quality Index ratings against standard benchmarks set from international consensus regulatory agencies.
Best Practices
- Leveraging Data and Technology: Utilize data to inform decision-making, the use of technology to expand equitable access, streamline operations, and strengthen links among stakeholders.
- Promoting Partnerships: Foster partnerships with public, private, philanthropic and other partners to develop collaborative strategies that support cost-effectiveness and reach underserved populations.
- Engaging Communities: Develop a framework in which communities participate in planning, implementation and evaluation processes. Ensure program designs are developed comprehensively with input from target beneficiaries based on their unique needs.
- Establishing An Ethics Framework: Incorporate ethical considerations into program design and implementation throughout all stages of the intervention cycle. This includes adhering to organizational guidelines for research ethics in regards to working with human subjects, as well as ensuring beneficiary autonomy is respected when evaluating need data or accessing services from other agencies or organizations.
- Investing in Quality Improvement: Focus on continuous improvement and quality assurance by establishing performance standards at each step of program implementation and evaluation activities to ensure quality outcomes are produced efficiently and effectively (cost effective). All stakeholders should be included in identifying goals, strategies and best practices that promote efficiency without sacrificing effectiveness or equity across beneficiaries/populations served.
- Strengthening Sustainability: Prioritize planning for sustainability by understanding potential sources of income generation systems that enable National Institute of Health & Family Welfare programs to operate under their own resources overtime; therefore contributing positively to health outcomes in India over time versus a short-term project focus
Courses
- Post Graduate Diploma in Population Education
- Certificate Course in Adolescent Health and Counselling
- Advanced Training Program in Family Planning & Reproductive Health
- Short-Term Training Program in Medical Officer as a Resource Person for Quality Assurance
- Post Graduate Diploma In Public Health Management
- Workshop on IEC and Social Mobilization
- PG Diploma in Applied Nutrition
- Certificate Course on Maternal Newborn and Child Nutrition
- Training of Trainers – HIV/AIDS
- Core Module on Home Care for HIV/AIDS and Other Eternally Ill People
Societies
- Student Scientific Society (SSS)
- Indian Public Health Association (IPHA)
- Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM)
- Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE)
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences Family Welfare Promotion Council (AIIMS FWPC)
- Indian Society for Emergency Medicine Foundation (ISMEF)
- National Forum for Advancing Population and Reproductive Health Equity in India (NFPEHI)
