Haryana to Pilot Verbal Autopsy Project in Rohtak to Strengthen Cause-of-Death Reporting

Chandigarh, October 6 - 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. The project is aimed at generating more systematic cause-of-death information to support health planning and public health decision-making.

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 information collected during the interview will subsequently be reviewed by a Medical Officer, who will assign the cause of death as per the prescribed process.

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 project is part of the AIIMS-led ICMR initiative titled “Implementation and Scaling up of Model to Achieve Universal Coverage with Physician Ascertained Cause of Death at District Level in India.” Rohtak has been selected for piloting the model during its implementation phase.

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. As provided under the project, an honorarium of Rs. 100 per completed Verbal Autopsy has been earmarked for the Community Health Officer and Rs. 100 for the Medical Officer for reviewing the information and assigning the cause of death.

A digital workflow will be followed under the project, with Verbal Autopsy interviews conducted through the prescribed mobile application. The personnel involved in the exercise will be provided training on the methodology and digital process. The initiative also seeks to strengthen the capacity of the health workforce in documenting and reporting cause-of-death information.

AIIMS, New Delhi, has sought the cooperation of the Haryana Health Department for implementation of the project through the existing health infrastructure in Rohtak. The pilot is expected to provide experience for strengthening systems for collection and documentation of cause-of-death information at the district level.