Key Details
NFHS-6 represents India’s largest household-level health and nutrition audit, covering nearly 6.79 lakh householdsacross 715 districts during 2023–24. Conducted by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), the survey tracks changes in maternal health, childhood nutrition, immunization, and household financial protection, providing the core evidence base for district-level health and welfare planning.
Indicator Area | NFHS-6 Findings |
|---|---|
Maternal Care | ANC coverage 95.9%; institutional deliveries 90.6% |
Child Nutrition | Stunting declined to 29.3%; severe wasting fell to 5.2% |
Immunization | Full vaccination rose to 87.1%; Rotavirus coverage 85.4% |
Financial Protection | Household health insurance coverage expanded to 60.2% |
Women’s Inclusion | Bank-account use 89%; internet use 64.3% |
Summary
Maternal Care and Public Health Delivery
NFHS-6 records a substantial strengthening of India’s maternal and child-health delivery systems between NFHS-5 (2019–21) and NFHS-6 (2023–24). Total Antenatal Care (ANC) coverage rose to 95.9%, while first-trimester ANC registration improved from 70.0% to 76.2%. Mothers completing the recommended minimum of four ANC visitsincreased from 58.5% to 65.2%.
Institutional childbirth continued to deepen, supported by schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). Institutional deliveries reached 90.6%, while births attended by skilled personnel rose to 91.3%. Postnatal care also improved, with 85.3% of newborns receiving skilled health checks within 48 hours of birth.
Immunization coverage strengthened further. Full vaccination among children aged 12–23 months rose from 83.8% to 87.1%, with 95.6% of vaccinations delivered through public health facilities. Coverage of newer vaccines expanded rapidly—Rotavirus vaccination more than doubled from 36.4% to 85.4%, while second-dose measles vaccination reached 71.8%, increasingly supported by digital tracking through the U-WIN platform.
Nutrition and Human Capital Outcomes
The survey documents notable improvements in childhood nutrition and long-term human development indicators.
Child stunting—a measure of chronic undernutrition—declined from 35.5% to 29.3%, marking an approximate 17% reduction over the previous survey cycle. Severe wasting also fell sharply from 7.7% to 5.2%, while timely complementary feeding among infants aged 6–8 months improved to 59.5%.
These shifts suggest progress in nutrition-focused interventions linked to Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0, alongside improvements in maternal care and food security. The findings indicate movement beyond simple calorie access toward more durable improvements in child growth and early-life development outcomes.
Financial Protection and Women’s Inclusion
NFHS-6 also records a major expansion in financial protection and women’s socio-economic inclusion.
Household coverage under health insurance or financing schemes expanded from 41.0% to 60.2%, reflecting the widening reach of Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY and related state health protection programs. This expansion strengthens protection against catastrophic health expenditure and medical impoverishment.
Women’s financial and digital participation also improved significantly. Women operating personal bank or savings accounts rose to 89.0%, while internet use among women nearly doubled to 64.3%. Personal mobile phone ownership reached 63.6%, and menstrual hygiene product use among women aged 15–24 years increased to 79.2%.
Together, these findings portray a broader transition in welfare outcomes—from expanding service access toward building stronger foundations for financial agency, digital inclusion, and household resilience.
What is a “Stunting Prevalence Index”?
The stunting prevalence index measures the percentage of children under five whose height is significantly below international height-for-age standards established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Stunting reflects chronic undernutrition and long-term developmental deprivation, rather than temporary food shortages. High stunting rates signal persistent deficiencies in nutrition, maternal health, sanitation, and disease control during early childhood. Reductions in stunting therefore indicate improvements not only in nutrition programs but also in a society’s broader human-capital foundations.
Policy Relevance
NFHS-6 suggests that India’s health and welfare systems are increasingly shifting from basic access expansion toward deeper quality and human-capital outcomes.
Validates the Expansion of Public Health Risk Protection: The rise in insurance coverage to 60.2% strengthens the case that Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY and related schemes are widening financial protection against medical shocks.
Guides Nutrition Targeting Under POSHAN 2.0: Persistent stunting levels, despite improvement, underline the need for district-specific nutrition interventions, particularly across tribal and high-burden regions.
Strengthens the Case for Digital Immunization Infrastructure: The dominance of public-facility vaccination (95.6%) highlights the potential of platforms such as U-WIN to improve dose tracking and close remaining immunization gaps.
Expands Opportunities for Women-Centered Welfare Delivery: Rising bank-account use, internet access, and mobile ownership provide stronger foundations for DBT-linked maternal and social protection schemes.
Signals Emerging Non-Communicable Disease Risks: The survey’s broader health profile points toward the growing importance of preventive health systems and lifestyle-related disease management alongside traditional maternal-child interventions.
Follow the Full Data Here: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Official Release of the National Family Health Survey–6 (NFHS-6) Report