NFHS 6 Report: The Union Ministry of Health and Transport and Welfare has released the report of National Family Health Survey-6. In a survey conducted in 2023-24, about 6.89 lakh families from 715 districts of the country have been included. The report has recorded improvements in many important indicators related to maternal and child health, vaccination, nutrition, access to health services and economic and digital empowerment of women.

According to the survey, the impact of various government programs run in the health sector in the last few years is now visible in big figures. The number of women delivering in hospitals has increased. Immunization coverage of children has improved and many indicators of malnutrition have declined. However, the report has also expressed concern about lifestyle related diseases like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Hospital delivery figure crosses 90 percent

According to the National Family Health Survey, the percentage of institutional delivery in the country i.e. delivery in hospitals and health centers has increased to 90.6 percent. In the previous NFHS-5 report, this figure was 88.6 percent. Along with this, the number of deliveries taking place under the supervision of trainee health workers has also increased. It has been said in the report that the health services provided to pregnant women have also improved. The percentage of women receiving antenatal care has increased to 95.9 percent. The number of women getting tested in the first trimester has increased from 70 percent to 76.2 percent. The percentage of women who got themselves tested for pregnancy at least four times has increased from 58.5 percent to 65.2 percent.

Vaccination of children also increased

According to the survey, full vaccination coverage among children aged 12 to 23 months increased to 87.1 percent, whereas in the previous report it was 83.8 percent. This report shows that most of the children were vaccinated through government health institutions. An increase was also recorded in rotavirus vaccine coverage, which increased from 36.4 percent to 85.4 percent. At the same time, the percentage of children taking the second dose of measles vaccine also increased from 58.6 percent to 71.8 percent. The Health Ministry believes that the positive impact of the universal vaccination campaign and expansion of public health infrastructure is visible.

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Improvement in signs of malnutrition in children also

The report also noted improvement in the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age. The percentage of children with short height for age decreased from 35.5 percent to 29.3 percent. At the same time, severe wasting decreased from 7.7 percent to 5.2 percent. A slight decrease was also recorded in the number of underweight children. Apart from this, there has also been a decline in the cases of acute respiratory infection and severe diarrhea in children. According to the report, the number of mothers breastfeeding in the first hour of birth has increased and the situation of giving supplementary food to children aged six to 8 months has also improved.

Increasing obesity and lifestyle diseases become a challenge

Where there has been improvement in many indicators related to maternal and child health. At the same time, concern has also been expressed in the report regarding non-communicable diseases. In the survey, an increase in cases like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure was recorded. Experts say that changing lifestyle and eating habits can become a big challenge for the country in the coming times.

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