National family health survey-6
Prelims
Polity &
Governance, Social Development
Mains
GS Paper I –
Society, GS Paper II – Governance & Social Sector, GS Paper III – Human
Resource Development
Current relevance
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently released the NFHS-6 report, offering the latest insights into India's demographic, health, and nutrition indicators.
Key findings
Positive outcomes
1.
Stunting declined from 35.5% to 29.3%, indicating
gradual improvement in child nutrition.
2.
Institutional deliveries increased to 90%, improving
maternal and child health outcomes.
3.
91% of births were attended by
skilled health personnel.
4.
95% of mothers
received
at least one antenatal care visit from health workers.
5.
Full immunisation coverage among children
aged 12–23 months reached 87%.
6.
Strong contribution of frontline health workers such as
ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and ANMs in improving healthcare outreach.
7.
Improved access to healthcare, maternal education,
housing, drinking water, and sanitation has contributed to better health
indicators.
Areas Requiring Attention
1.
Wasting levels have largely stagnated, though
severe wasting has witnessed a slight decline.
2.
Feeding
practices among infants and children remain inadequate, which hinder
improvements in child nutrition and health.
3.
Anaemia continues to affect a large proportion
of women and children.
4.
Higher levels of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity point
to a rising burden of lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases.
5.
Dual burden of disease, where persistent
undernutrition coexists with a rising prevalence of obesity and
non-communicable diseases.
6.
Insufficient access to healthy and varied diets remains a
major nutritional concern.