The ongoing efforts of the National Health Mission (NHM) have successfully led to a dramatic transformation in India’s healthcare landscape. With significant progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), India is on track to meet its health targets well ahead of the 2030 deadline.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday, was apprised of the progress under the NHM during the years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24. It was also apprised of accelerated decline in Maternal Mortality Rate, Infant Mortality Rate, Under-Five Mortality Rate, Total Fertility Rate, and the progress in respect of various disease control programmes like TB, Malaria, Kala-Azar, Dengue, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Viral Hepatitis, etc. and new initiatives undertaken such as National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission. The cabinet later approved the achievements under the NHM.
The NHM engaged over 12 lakh additional healthcare workers between the financial year 2021-24. About 220 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered nationwide under the mission. The MMR declined by 83 per cent since 1990, which is higher than the global decline of 45 per cent.
India demonstrated a higher decline of 75 percent in the Under-Five Mortality Rate compared to the global reduction of 60 per cent since 1990. The TB incidence reduced from 237 per one lakh population in 2015 to 195 in 2023, while the TB mortality rate came down from 28 to 22 in the same period.
Ayushman Arogya Mandir centres reached 1.72 lakh mark by FY 2023-24, and the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission screened over 2.61 crore individuals. India achieved 97.98% coverage in the Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign, while the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme benefited over 4.53 lakh dialysis patients in FY 2023-24, it was informed.