India Launches 6th National Family Health Survey, Reports Big Gains In Child Nutrition, Vaccination

India has recorded significant improvements in maternal and child healthcare, vaccination coverage, nutrition and financial protection, according to the newly released National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6). Released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on May 29, 2026, the nationwide survey offers one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the country's health and social indicators.

Conducted during 2023-24 by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, the survey covered nearly 6.79 lakh households across 715 districts. The findings indicate that India is making measurable progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in reducing child malnutrition, improving institutional deliveries and expanding access to healthcare services.

Among the key findings, institutional deliveries rose to 90.6%, full immunisation coverage among children aged 12-23 months increased to 87.1%, and severe wasting among children under five declined sharply by 32%. The survey also showed expanded health insurance coverage under government-backed initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY.

Health experts say the findings reflect years of investment in primary healthcare systems, immunisation infrastructure, maternal health programmes and nutrition interventions across India.

Maternal Healthcare Indicators Improve Across India

One of the biggest gains highlighted in NFHS-6 is in maternal healthcare services. Antenatal care (ANC) coverage rose from 92.6% in NFHS-5 to 95.9% in NFHS-6, indicating broader access to prenatal healthcare services for pregnant women.

The survey also recorded improvements in early and continued pregnancy monitoring:

• Mothers receiving ANC in the first trimester increased from 70% to 76.2%
• Women receiving at least four ANC visits rose from 58.5% to 65.2%
• Institutional deliveries increased from 88.6% to 90.6%
• Births attended by skilled health personnel rose to 91.3%
• Postnatal care for newborns within two days of delivery also improved significantly, rising from 79.1% to 85.3%.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), regular antenatal care and skilled birth attendance are among the most effective interventions for reducing maternal and neonatal mortality worldwide.

The Health Ministry attributed these gains to large-scale implementation of schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) and PM Matru Vandana Yojana.

Also Read: Eating Vegetables During Pregnancy Could Influence Your Child's Food Choices: Study

India's Immunisation Coverage Continues To Rise

NFHS-6 also reported notable progress in childhood vaccination rates. Full immunisation coverage among children aged 12-23 months increased from 83.8% to 87.1%.

Importantly, 95.6% of children received most vaccinations through public healthcare facilities, reflecting growing reliance on government immunisation programmes.

Rotavirus vaccine coverage saw one of the sharpest jumps, rising from 36.4% to 85.4%. Coverage for the second dose of measles-containing vaccine also increased substantially from 58.6% to 71.8%.

According to UNICEF, vaccines remain among the most cost-effective public health interventions globally, preventing millions of deaths annually from preventable infectious diseases.

The survey findings also showed declines in childhood illnesses:

• Acute respiratory infection symptoms dropped from 2.8% to 1.9%
• Severe diarrhoea prevalence declined to 0.5%

Health officials credited frontline healthcare workers, expanded cold-chain systems and digital tracking initiatives such as U-WIN for improving vaccine delivery and monitoring.

Child Nutrition Shows Encouraging Progress

NFHS-6 indicates meaningful improvements in child nutrition indicators, an area where India has historically faced major challenges.

Stunting among children under five years declined from 35.5% to 29.3%, while severe wasting reduced from 7.7% to 5.2%.

The report also found:

• Underweight prevalence marginally declined from 32.1% to 31.8%
• Breastfeeding within one hour of birth rose from 41.8% to 50.1%
• Children aged 6-8 months receiving complementary feeding along with breastmilk increased from 45.9% to 59.5%

The WHO and UNICEF have repeatedly stressed that early breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding are essential for improving child survival, cognitive development and long-term health outcomes.

Experts say programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan, POSHAN 2.0 and strengthened ICDS services may have contributed to the improvements.

Also Read: Doctor Explains How Mother's Colostrum Builds Immunity In Her Child

Expansion Of Health Insurance Coverage

The survey also highlighted a major increase in financial healthcare protection. Household coverage under health insurance or financing schemes increased from 41% in NFHS-5 to 60.2% in NFHS-6.

The expansion is largely linked to Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), one of the world's largest publicly funded healthcare schemes.

According to the National Health Authority, PM-JAY provides financial protection for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation expenses for millions of vulnerable families across India.

Public health experts say expanding financial coverage is essential to reducing catastrophic healthcare spending, which remains a major challenge in low- and middle-income countries.

Women's Empowerment Indicators Also Improve

NFHS-6 also recorded improvements in women's financial and digital inclusion:

• Women using the internet nearly doubled from 33.3% to 64.3%
• Women operating their own bank accounts increased from 78.6% to 89%
• Mobile phone ownership among women rose from 53.9% to 63.6%
• Use of hygienic menstrual protection methods among women aged 15-24 years also increased from 77.6% to 79.2%.

These improvements are linked to initiatives under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram and Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana.

The NFHS-6 findings suggest that India is witnessing measurable improvements across critical health indicators, including maternal care, vaccination coverage, child nutrition and healthcare access.

While challenges such as obesity, lifestyle diseases and persistent undernutrition remain, the survey reflects the impact of sustained investments in primary healthcare systems and social welfare programmes.

Health experts believe continued focus on preventive healthcare, nutrition and last-mile service delivery will be crucial for sustaining progress and achieving India's long-term public health goals.

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