Important for GS2 Mains – Social Justice, Health
Introduction
- The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a large-scale, multi-round, nationally representative household survey conducted to assess the health, nutrition, fertility, mortality, and socio-economic status of India’s population.
- It provides crucial evidence for policy formulation, programme implementation, and monitoring of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
About NFHS
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
- Conducting Agency: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai.
- International Support: Initially supported by USAID and currently receives technical assistance from various international organizations.
- First Survey: 1992–93 (NFHS-1).
- Latest Survey: NFHS-5 (2019–21).
Objectives
- Assess population, health, and nutrition indicators across India.
- Measure fertility, family planning, maternal and child health outcomes.
- Evaluate women’s empowerment and gender-related indicators.
- Monitor the prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
- Provide reliable data for evidence-based policymaking and programme evaluation.
Key Indicators Covered
- Population growth and fertility (Total Fertility Rate)
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR)
- Maternal and child health
- Immunization coverage
- Nutritional status (stunting, wasting, underweight, obesity)
- Anaemia among women, children, and men
- Family planning and reproductive health
- Institutional deliveries and antenatal care
- Women’s empowerment and domestic violence
- Sanitation, drinking water, and hygiene
- Tobacco and alcohol consumption
- Hypertension, diabetes, and other NCD risk factors
Significance
- Serves as the primary source of health and demographic data in India.
- Enables inter-state and district-level comparisons to identify regional disparities.
- Assists in designing and evaluating flagship programmes such as:
- Poshan Abhiyaan
- Ayushman Bharat
- National Health Mission (NHM)
- Mission Indradhanush
- Anaemia Mukt Bharat
- Supports monitoring of SDG-2 (Zero Hunger), SDG-3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG-5 (Gender Equality).
- Provides baseline data for NITI Aayog, ministries, researchers, and international agencies.
Major Findings of NFHS-5 (2019–21)
- Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declined to 2.0, below the replacement level of 2.1.
- Institutional deliveries increased to around 89%.
- Immunization coverage improved significantly.
- Access to sanitation and clean cooking fuel increased.
- However, anaemia among women and children remains alarmingly high.
- Rising prevalence of overweight, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes indicates a growing burden of lifestyle diseases.
- Persistent regional disparities in nutrition and health outcomes continue.
Conclusion
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is India’s most comprehensive health and demographic database, providing critical evidence for informed governance. By identifying achievements and gaps in public health, NFHS enables governments to formulate targeted interventions, improve human development outcomes, and accelerate India’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Viksit Bharat 2047.
| This concept has been discussed detailed under the article Should India Impose a Health Tax on Foods High in Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS)? |