NABH accreditation: what it means for international patients

Who runs NABH and what does it accredit?

NABH describes itself as a constituent board of the Quality Council of India. Its programmes cover hospitals, clinics, laboratories, AYUSH institutions, emergency departments and digital health platforms. It runs more than 30 accreditation, certification and empanelment programmes.

NABH’s hospital standards are themselves accredited by ISQua, the International Society for Quality in Health Care. A May 2026 government release states that NABH has accredited over 1,299 hospitals.

How do I check whether a hospital is NABH accredited?

• Use the NABH ‘Find an Accredited Healthcare Organisation’ directory at nabh.co and search by state, city and specialty.
• Note that the directory also lists certified and empanelled facilities. Ask the hospital which programme it holds.
• Check the date. NABH says accreditation is valid for a defined period with a surveillance visit in the second year.
• Keep a screenshot with the date you checked.

What does the badge not tell you?

Accreditation looks at systems such as patient safety, infection control and patients’ rights. It does not rank surgeons or predict an outcome. Your treating specialist still decides whether a procedure suits you.