India's Institutional Deliveries Climb to 90.6%: NFHS-6 Report

The latest National Family Health Survey-6 indicates a significant rise in institutional deliveries across India, from 88.6% during 2019-2021 to 90.6% in 2023-24. This upswing represents progress towards comprehensive maternal healthcare coverage, facilitated by delivering babies under professional supervision in licensed facilities.

The survey, conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, reveals encouraging trends across several maternal health indicators. Between 2023-24, antenatal care (ANC) attendance rose to 95.9%, while timely ANC in the first trimester rose to 76.2%. Programs like Janani Suraksha Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana have been pivotal in these advancements, ensuring enhanced healthcare access and improving nutrition for expecting mothers.

Increased caesarean delivery rates and more births supervised by healthcare professionals underscore the improvements in health service accessibility and quality. The survey highlights considerable gains in maternal nutrition as well, crucially supporting maternal and child health initiatives on a national scale.

(With inputs from agencies.)