Former Secretary of HealthGovernment of Chhattisgarh, India
Ms.Niharika Barik Singh is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of 1997 batch and is Former Secretary of Health, Government of Chhattisgarh.
Secretary Singh has a background in Sociology and belongs to the Chhattisgarh cadre.The Health sector in Chhattisgarh has achieved some incredible feats recently under her leadership.
In the year 2018-19, the State of Chhattisgarh won the first place among high-focus states category for ‘better public health care systems, innovative and exemplary work’ at the 6th National Health Summit at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The selection was based on the following seven standardsofNITI Aayog rankings:
a) district hospital operation;
b) health and wellness centre;
c) combating non-communicable diseases;
d) mental health programme;
e) human resources;
f) information technology; and
g) effectivevaccination programme
It is under the same dynamic leadership that Surguja District has achieved the world’s highest breastfeeding rate of 87.5%. Surgujahas overtaken the central African country of Rwanda that stood at 87%.Surguja is now the role model of holistic implementation of health and nutritional care scheme for the world.
She has made extensive efforts to control Malaria in the tribal dominated southern part of the State where annual parasite incidence is more than 10 in many pockets. A special drive called Malaria Mukt Bastar ( Malaria free Bastar) has been started in Jan 2020. Under “Malaria Mukt Bastar Campaign” Chhattisgarh is conducting Community based active Screening and treatment in seven districts of Bastar division to reduce Malarial parasite load in the community. In these areas, Malaria is also the main cause behind Anemia and Malnutrition in Pregnant Women & children. One of the various objectives of this door to door screening has been also to reduce IMR and MMR in the area. Campaign as of now has been implemented in Bastar Division in two phases/rounds. This is by far the most extensive campaign against malaria in this region covering round 13 lakh population in the first phase, where as in second round 23 lakhs population has been covered.
Prior to her posting as the Secretary of Health, Secretary Singh has handled many assignments in the State Govt. as District Magistrate , Mahasamund; Director Technical Education; Divisional Commissioner of Bilaspur; Secretary Tourism and Culture; Secretary Rural Industries, Resident Commissioner of Chhattisgarh. She has also worked in the Govt. of India as Director in Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and as Joint Secretary in Department of Food & Public Distribution.
In addition of being a civil servant, Secretary Singh is also a wildlife enthusiast, passionate cook and an avid gardener.