Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences

Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences provides medical care, education, and research facilities to Andhra Pradesh, India.

In Hyderabad, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) worked with IHME to provide analysis as part of the Population Health Metrics Research Consortium (PHMRC) project.

The project was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of the Gates Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative #13 to develop technologies that permit quantitative assessment of population health status.

To assess effective coverage of key interventions in areas with insufficient data, the PHMRC implemented a household survey in three sites in India, the Philippines, and Tanzania. The survey collected information regarding the disease burden for obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, immunization, and diabetes – each thought to be key health conditions of growing interest across the world.

In addition to the self-reported information collected through a survey, a subset of individuals was selected for dried blood analysis. Adults were analyzed for cholesterol (total cholesterol and LDL), diabetes (HbA1c), and the presence of tetanus antibodies for women with children. Children were analyzed for immunization status by testing for antibodies to tetanus, diphtheria, and measles. The dried blood spot analysis was conducted by NIMS.

Individual collaborators:

• V. Lakshmi
• Talasila Sudha