What NFHS-6 Tells Us About Health in India
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Article summary
The National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6), conducted across India, has released key findings on the country's health landscape, revealing mixed progress on nutrition, maternal health, child mortality, and non-communicable diseases. While indicators such as institutional deliveries, full immunisation coverage, and access to sanitation have improved, persistent challenges remain in anaemia prevalence among women and children, stunting and wasting in under-five children, and rising cancer incidence. The survey also highlights the growing burden of lifestyle diseases and the compounding health risks posed by extreme heat events. NFHS, conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), serves as the primary benchmark for India's health and demographic data. For UPSC aspirants, NFHS-6 data is critical for evaluating the effectiveness of flagship schemes like Poshan Abhiyaan, Ayushman Bharat, and the National Health Mission, and for understanding India's trajectory toward SDG health targets.
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Sample questions — answers revealed after test
Q1. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is conducted by which institution, and under the administrative oversight of which ministry?
Q2. A policy analyst reviewing NFHS-6 findings notes that anaemia prevalence among women remains persistently high despite years of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation under government programmes. She concludes that supplementation alone is insufficient to resolve the problem. Which of the following combinations of factors would MOST directly support her conclusion, based on the framework suggested by NFHS-level analysis?
Q3. Consider the following statements about NFHS-6 and its broader public health implications: 1. NFHS-6 is the first Indian health survey to include extreme heat as a quantifiable public health risk determinant. 2. NFHS-5 (2019–21) recorded India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) falling below the replacement level of 2.1. 3. NFHS data directly informs the assessment of outcomes under Poshan Abhiyaan, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, and Ayushman Bharat. 4. The persistent dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases revealed by NFHS-6 suggests that India's public health policy must shift emphasis from preventive to curative frameworks. Which of the statements given above are correct?