Key Highlights:
- The Union Cabinet reviewed progress under the National Health Mission (NHM) for 2021-2024.
- India is projected to meet health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets well before 2030.
- NHM has been pivotal in improving public health outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Contributions of NHM
- Maternal and Child Health:
- Accelerated decline in maternal mortality rate (MMR), infant mortality rate (IMR), and under-five mortality rate.
- Maternal mortality ratio has declined by 83% since 1990, which is higher than the global decline of 45%.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has fallen from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 28 in 2020.
- Total Fertility Rate (TFR) decreased from 2.3 in 2015 to 0 in 2020, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5).
- Disease Elimination Efforts:
- Enhanced focus on combating diseases such as TB, malaria, kala-azar, dengue, leprosy, and viral hepatitis.
- Launch of new initiatives like the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission.
- Human Resources in Healthcare:
- Engagement of a significant number of healthcare professionals:
- 2021-22: 2.69 lakh additional workers.
- 2022-23: 4.21 lakh workers, including 1.29 lakh community health officers.
- 2023-24: 5.23 lakh workers, including 1.38 lakh community health officers.
- Expansion of roles such as general duty medical officers, specialists, staff nurses, AYUSH doctors, and allied health workers.
- Healthcare Infrastructure:
- Strengthened grassroots delivery of healthcare services.
- Played a transformative role in administering over 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses (January 2021–March 2024).
- Integrated Public Health Response:
- Successful pandemic response utilizing the existing healthcare network.
- Continued expansion of critical healthcare services across rural and urban areas.
Way Forward
- The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of NHM for the next two years to sustain progress towards SDG health targets.
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