Sikkim partners with ICMR-NIRRCH to study declining birth rate

The Government of Sikkim has partnered with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (ICMR-NIRRCH) to undertake a comprehensive study on the state’s declining birth rate, officials said.
A two-day project coordination meeting was held on January 6 and 7 at ICMR-NIRRCH in Mumbai to discuss the scope and execution of the study, which aims to assess fertility trends in Sikkim and evaluate the preparedness of the state’s health system to address challenges associated with a low birth rate.
Titled “Rapid Assessment of Fertility Trends, Determinants and Preparedness of the State Health System in Sikkim to Address Low Total Fertility Rate (TFR)”, the study is funded by ICMR-NIRRCH and is being carried out with technical support from ICMR-NIRRCH and the International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), in collaboration with the Government of Sikkim and other partner institutions.
Officials said the study seeks to identify the factors influencing declining fertility and family size decisions in the state, while also examining the capacity of hospitals and health services to address infertility and broader reproductive health needs.
The meeting was chaired by Dr Geetanjali Sachdeva, Director of ICMR-NIRRCH. Dr Anushree Patil, Scientist-F and Head of the Clinical Research Division at ICMR-NIRRCH and the study’s principal investigator, participated in detailed discussions with teams from ICMR-NIRRCH and IIHMR.
The Sikkim government delegation was led by Rohini Pradhan, Additional Secretary-cum-Programme Director of Sikkim INSPIRES under the Planning and Development Department, who is also the study’s co-principal investigator. Senior doctors, academics and research staff from state hospitals and educational institutions were also present.
During the meeting, participants finalised the project plan, timelines and institutional roles, identified study locations across Sikkim, and approved data collection tools. To formalise the collaboration, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between ICMR-NIRRCH, IIHMR, ICMR-RMRCNE and the Government of Sikkim.