VHAI has an acceptable voice in the central and state governments and considers it of prime importance to conduct serious action research on various health and development concerns.
VHAI facilitated the setting up of ICDHI in 1995, as a people’s initiative to assess the current health and development status and facilitate the process of need-based and people-centric sustainable development and health. The Commission consists of distinguished persons from the health and development sectors. Since 1998 then 25 well-researched monographs on various current health and development issues, by eminent social scientists have been published.
The growing menace of Vector Borne Diseases all over the country is well known. The Commission set up a Task Force consisting of eminent health professionals, scientists and administrators to look at present situation as well as the shortcomings of the programme on the ground. The recommendations of this consultation were also incorporated in the final report to ensure they are fully implementable at the State level. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare as well as the National Vector Borne Disease Control Progrmme were very much part of the preparation of this report. The report is now with the Government of India for implementation and appropriate action.
Commission has been watching with considerable concern the complex threat of Tuberculosis all over the country. Situation is daunting and needs urgent and sustained attention. An Expert Group was set up by the Commission to have a close look at this Public Health problem. Besides secondary research, the group visited specific sites, consulted with the senior government officials as well as respected technical consultants, NGOs and of course, the patients at large and local functionaries. The report of the Commission in based on the findings of the above endeavour. The content of the report was shared with the Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, senior officials of the Ministry as well as the Director General of Health Services, Government of India. They generally agreed with the recommendations and have promised appropriate and urgent action on the Report.
Keeping in mind the threat of Kala-azar all over the country the two senior colleagues of the Commission, Dr. L.M. Nath and Shri Deepak Gupta has prepared a report on Elimination of Kala-azar. The report lists out the problems in detail and suggests concrete steps that are needed to be taken up immediately as well as some strategic changes. It is clear that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare would need to play a pro-active role to supervise and guide this programme especially in Bihar and Jharkhand as these states are lacking commitment. The report has been shared with the Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India to take necessary action.
For achieving the mission of NDMA, an Advisory Committee has been constituted involving eminent personalities from different fields. Appreciating VHAI’s effective work in disaster management programmes/activities during Odisha Super Cyclone, Bhuj Earthquake, Tsunami and the Earthquake in Kashmir, the Chairman, VHAI has been nominated as one of the Member of the Advisory Committee, NDMA, Government of India.
Since the launch of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in April 2005, VHAI has been providing continuous inputs in the functioning of the NRHM at various forums. VHAI has been specifically assigned the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura; to visit and to assess selection, training, and support of ASHA and Provide guidance to the States on the constitution of the State Level Mentoring Group. VHAI is the member of Common Review Mission (CRM) of NRHM.
Thematic areas: Health Geographic areas: All India
- Governing Body of the National Institute of Health and family welfare (NIHFW)
- Advisory Committee, NDMA, Government of India
- Common Review Mission (CRM) of NRHM.
- The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Vector Borne Disease of MoHFW, GOI
- Task Group Tobacco Prevention and Control, under NCD Working Group of department of Health and Family welfare, MoHFW, GOI
- The Institute Ethical Committee of National Institute of Communicable Diseases, GOI
- Working group on Disease Burden (Communicable and non-communicable diseases) for the formulation of the Twelfth Five Year plan ( 2012-2017)
- ASHA Mentoring Group
- Advisory Group on Community Action under the NRHM