Chandigarh: Haryana will pilot an ICMR-funded Verbal Autopsy project in Rohtak district to strengthen the availability and quality of information on causes of death. Rohtak has been selected as the pilot district under an AIIMS, New Delhi-led initiative being implemented in collaboration with the Haryana Health Department.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra said that the project will cover approximately 5,000 deaths during its implementation period. Under the initiative, designated personnel of the health system will identify eligible deaths and conduct Verbal Autopsy interviews through a prescribed mobile-based application.
The initiative is intended to supplement routine death reporting by providing information on the circumstances and likely causes of deaths. More reliable cause-of-death data can help health authorities understand mortality patterns at the district level and facilitate evidence-based planning and prioritisation of public health interventions.
The implementation period is scheduled for around 8 months and will be undertaken through the existing health system in coordination with the Rohtak district health administration. Community Health Officers and Medical Officers will be involved in the exercise.
