Key Highlights
- Maternal‑care indicators such as antenatal visits and skilled birth attendance rose above 90% in 2023‑24.
- Full immunisation of children aged 12‑23 months climbed to 87.1%, with rotavirus coverage surpassing 85%.
- Stunting among under‑five children fell from 35.5% to 29.3%, while severe wasting dropped to 5.2%.
- Health‑insurance enrolment surged from 41.0% to 60.2%, reflecting expanded financial safeguards.
- Women’s digital participation more than doubled, with internet use jumping to 64.3%.
Detailed Insights
The sixth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS‑6), executed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in partnership with the International Institute for Population Sciences, covered approximately 6.79 lakh households across 715 districts during 2023‑24. The dataset provides a granular view of India’s health trajectory and serves as a cornerstone for evidence‑based policy design at both national and sub‑national levels.
Maternal health saw relentless improvement: antenatal‑care (ANC) coverage increased from 92.6% to 95.9%, first‑trimester registration rose to 76.2%, and the proportion of women receiving four or more ANC visits grew to 65.2%. Institutional deliveries reached a record 90.6%, while skilled birth attendance and post‑natal care within two days exceeded 91% and 85% respectively. These gains are attributed to reinforced public‑sector obstetric services and intensified community outreach.
Child health outcomes mirrored the maternal gains. Full immunisation rose to 87.1%, driven by robust implementation of the Universal Immunisation Programme and the U‑WIN digital tracking system. Notably, rotavirus vaccine coverage surged from 36.4% to 85.4%, and second‑dose measles uptake increased to 71.8%. Nutrition indicators also improved: stunting declined to 29.3%, severe wasting to 5.2%, and early‑breastfeeding within one hour of birth rose to 50.1%.
Financial protection expanded dramatically, with health‑insurance coverage advancing from 41.0% to 60.2% of households. Schemes such as Ayushman Bharat‑PMJAY, state‑level insurance programmes, and public‑health infrastructure upgrades were pivotal in this shift.
Women’s empowerment manifested through heightened digital and financial inclusion. Internet usage among women more than doubled to 64.3%, bank‑account ownership reached 89.0%, and mobile‑phone possession climbed to 63.6%.
These achievements are underpinned by an array of flagship schemes—including Janani Suraksha Yojana, POSHAN Abhiyaan, and the Integrated Child Development Services—whose coordinated delivery amplified health and nutrition outcomes across rural and urban settings.