India has recorded significant improvements in maternal and child health indicators while witnessing a rise in lifestyle-related diseases among adults, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6). The findings were shared by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The survey shows continued progress in maternal healthcare services. Institutional deliveries increased from 88.6 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019–21) to 90.6 per cent in NFHS-6 (2023–24). Antenatal care coverage also improved, with 95.9 per cent of pregnant women receiving antenatal care, while the proportion of mothers receiving at least four antenatal check-ups rose from 58.5 per cent to 65.2 per cent. Births attended by skilled health personnel increased from 89.4 per cent to 91.3 per cent.
The survey also indicates improvements in family planning and child health. The Contraceptive Prevalence Rate increased from 66.7 per cent to 69.1 per cent, while the unmet need for family planning declined from 9.4 per cent to 8.5 per cent. India’s Total Fertility Rate remained stable at 2.0, below the replacement level of 2.1.
Immunisation coverage has also improved. Full immunisation among children aged 12 to 23 months increased from 83.8 per cent to 87.1 per cent, while coverage of the second dose of the measles vaccine rose from 58.6 per cent to 71.8 per cent. Coverage of the rotavirus vaccine more than doubled from 36.4 per cent to 85.4 per cent during the same period.
Child nutrition indicators also showed improvement. The prevalence of stunting among children under five years declined from 35.5 per cent to 29.3 per cent, while severe wasting reduced from 7.7 per cent to 5.2 per cent.
However, NFHS-6 also points to growing concerns over lifestyle diseases. The proportion of overweight or obese adults increased to 30.7 per cent among women and 27.3 per cent among men aged 15 to 49 years. The prevalence of high blood sugar levels or diabetes also increased, rising from 13.5 per cent to 17.8 per cent among women and from 15.6 per cent to 20.9 per cent among men above 15 years of age. At the same time, the prevalence of hypertension declined modestly among both women and men.
Digital Health Mission Nears 95 Crore ABHA IDs
The government also highlighted the progress of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), under which 94.87 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs had been created across the country as of July 20, 2026.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the mission now includes 5.36 lakh verified health facilities under the Health Facility Registry (HFR) and 10.09 lakh healthcare professionals registered under the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR).
A third-party evaluation conducted in 2025 found that ABDM has reduced waiting time, lowered healthcare costs and improved access to services, particularly for women and underserved communities. The assessment also highlighted the role of the Unified Health Interface (UHI) in improving accessibility to digital health services.
The government reiterated that “Privacy by Design” remains a core principle of ABDM. It clarified that the mission does not maintain a centralised repository of health records and enables secure exchange of health information only with the patient’s consent. Digital health applications integrated with the platform undergo security validation and audits before deployment.
Several national and state health programmes, including Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Nikshay, Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) programmes and various state health platforms, have already been integrated with ABDM to improve interoperability across the healthcare ecosystem.
Health Research Funding Sees Fivefold Increase
The government also informed Parliament that budgetary allocation for the Department of Health Research (DHR) has increased more than fivefold over the past decade.
The allocation has risen from ₹932 crore in 2014–15 to ₹4,821.21 crore in the 2026–27 Budget Estimates, representing an increase of around 24 per cent over the revised estimates for 2025–26.
The Ministry said the increased funding reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening India’s health research ecosystem. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has expanded its grant architecture to support research across different stages, from early proof-of-concept studies to advanced multidisciplinary research.
The revised framework includes ANVESHAN Grants of up to ₹2 crore, NISCHAYAK ANVESHAN Grants ranging from ₹2 crore to ₹8 crore, First-in-the-World Challenge Grants with support of up to ₹8 crore, and Centres for Advanced Research with funding of up to ₹15 crore. These initiatives are aimed at promoting innovation, translational research and investigator-led scientific studies.
The information on all three subjects was shared by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav in separate written replies in the Lok Sabha.
