Meghalaya signs pact with Oxford Policy Management for statewide health data survey

The Meghalaya government on May 12 signed an agreement with to undertake a yearly health survey aimed at generating detailed public health data for policy planning and monitoring of healthcare schemes.

The agreement was signed between the State Health Systems Resource Centre (SHSRC) Meghalaya and Oxford Policy Management India in the presence of National Health Mission Meghalaya Mission Director Ramakrishna Chitturi, officials said.

D Valerie Laloo signed the agreement on behalf of the state health department, while Prabal Vikram Singh represented the organisation.

Officials said the initiative is intended to strengthen evidence-based healthcare delivery and improve planning of medical services across the state through regular and detailed collection of health-related data.

According to officials, the survey will move beyond conventional data collection exercises by establishing a system capable of generating periodic public health statistics to support policymaking and improve implementation of healthcare programmes.

Authorities said the exercise is expected to help the state identify emerging health challenges, assess disparities across districts, monitor the progress of welfare schemes, and strengthen accountability in healthcare service delivery.

Officials further stated that the availability of timely and location-specific health data would enable better allocation of resources and support more informed decision-making in Meghalaya’s public healthcare sector.

The collaboration, they added, reflects the state government’s broader push towards data-driven governance and institutional mechanisms for continuous monitoring and evaluation of healthcare services.