Chandigarh, December 9
The Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC), Punjab, successfully hosted a crucial State-level Training of Trainer’s Workshop on Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) today in its New Chandigarh campus. This high-impact one-day workshop marks a significant step for the Government of Punjab in strengthening its Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, a foundational element for evidence-based health policy and planning.
The workshop was organized in close collaboration with the Directorate of Census Operations, Punjab, Government of India, and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Punjab. It brought together nominated state government doctors and mortality coders from the statistical cadre.
Dr. Ashish Gulia, Director of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Punjab, emphasized the importance of this workshop, stating, “It is extremely important to find out the right cause of death so that our doctors, our healthcare system can align themselves to make sure that the causes which are preventable can be prevented and we can save many human lives which can contribute to the society in a bigger way.”
The importance of this training is underscored by the current state of death registration in Punjab. While the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1969 requires all deaths to be certified by a medical practitioner, out of 238, 304 total registered deaths in 2022, only 77,667 were medically certified, accounting for a mere 32.6 per cent.
Correctly identifying and reporting the underlying cause of death on MCCD forms (Forms 4 and 4A) is not just a legal requirement for families to register deaths, but it also serves the vital purpose of informing policymakers on where to allocate funds and resources effectively.
The Unit for Strengthening Cause of Death (USCOD) at the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) is driving this national capacity-building effort, which has expanded from Maharashtra to nine states, including Punjab.
The inauguration session of the State-level Medical Certification of Cause of Death Training of Trainers’ Workshop clearly showcased the strong commitment of multiple high-level officials to the common cause of strengthening cause of death data in Punjab.
The event was graced and inaugurated by several esteemed dignitaries from the Punjab state, including Kumar Rahul, IAS, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Dr. Navjot Khosa, IAS, Director, Directorate of Census Operations, Punjab, Government of India, Dr. Avnish Kumar, Director, Research and Medical Education, Punjab, and Dr. Hitinder Kaur, Director, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, who is also the Chief Registrar for Births and Deaths. The workshop was hosted by Dr. Ashish Gulia, Director, HBCHRC Punjab, along with the capable Department of Preventive Oncology of the hospital.
Kumar Rahul emphasized that the Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) forms are the “bedrock of our public health strategy”. He stated that accurate identification of the underlying cause of death provides key evidence for deciding where to invest health resources, such as in cancer or cardiovascular programs, calling the training a proactive investment in Punjab’s health future.
Dr. Navjot Khosa highlighted that the quality of national mortality data depends directly on medical practitioners’ proficiency in accurately filling MCCD forms. He noted that the Training of Trainers ensures correct certification principles reach all districts, aligning Punjab’s data standards with international requirements for reliable statistics.
HBCH&RC Punjab Director Ashish Gulia said on this occasion, “We all are here gathered to learn more about that how should we fill these forms in the right way. How should we understand the mortality and the cause of death? So this is the first step. This is the beginning. This is not the end. This is where we train the trainers. And I assure you that Tata Memorial Centre and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Punjab will leave no stone unturned to train colleagues and friends like you and many others in time to come so that we can very seriously work on this matter which can eventually help our policy makers to plan better health facility for the needy people.”
