The Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Progress under the National Health Mission (NHM)

Key Achievement of NHM

• Increase in Healthcare Sector Workers: The doctor-to-patient ratio in India has increased to 1:836, which is better than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standard of 1:1,000. 
  • NHM facilitated the engagement of 2.69 lakh additional healthcare workers in FY 2021-22 which has increased to 5.23 lakh workers in FY 2023-24, improving healthcare delivery, especially at the grassroots level.
• COVID Response: The India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package (ECRP) was implemented under NHM in two phases bolstering the healthcare system to effectively manage the pandemic.
  • NHM was pivotal in administering over 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses between January 2021 and March 2024.

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• Progress in Key Health Indicator: India is on track to meet its SDG targets for maternal, child, and infant mortality well ahead of 2030.
  • The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined, marking a 25% reduction from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 97 per lakh in 2018-20
  • The Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) has decreased from 45 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 32 in 2020 demonstrating a reduction  of 75%
  • The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has fallen from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 28 in 2020. 
  • The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) decreased from 2.3 in 2015 to 2.0 in 2020, as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). 
• Elimination and Control of Diseases: 
  • The National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP): The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has reduced from 237 per 1,00,000 population in 2015 to 195 in 2023, with a decrease in mortality rate from 28 to 22. 
  • Malaria:  In the year 2023, malaria surveillance and cases have increased by 8.34% and 28.91% respectively as compared to 2022, whereas malaria deaths have decreased by 7.77% as compared to 2021.
  • Kala-Azar: Elimination efforts have been successful, with 100% of endemic blocks achieving the target of less than one case per 10,000 population by the end of 2023. 
  • The Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign: Under the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0, vaccinated over 34.77 crore children, achieving a 97.98% coverage
  • Tobacco Use: Through sustained public awareness campaigns and enforcement of tobacco control laws, NHM has contributed to a 17.3% reduction in tobacco use over the past decade. 
• Progress in Specialized Health Initiatives: 
  • The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: It saw a registration of 1,56,572 lakh Ni-kshay Mitra volunteers who are supporting over 9.40 lakh TB patients. 
  • The Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP): It has been expanded, with over 62.35 lakh hemodialysis sessions benefiting over 4.53 lakh dialysis patients. 
  • The National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission: It has screened over 2.61 crore individuals in tribal areas, working toward the goal of eliminating sickle cell disease by 2047.
  • U-WIN Platform: The platform ensures the timely administration of vaccines to pregnant women, infants, and children across India  has expanded to 65 districts across 36 States/UTs, ensuring real-time vaccination tracking and improving immunization coverage.
  • The National Action Plan for Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE) was launched in FY 2022 with efforts focused on prevention, education, and management of snakebites
• Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure: 
  • National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS): As of March 2024, 7,998 public health facilities have been certified, with over 4,200 of them receiving national certification
  • Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) centers: The centers offering 12 key healthcare services has increased to 1,72,148 by the end of FY 2023-24
  • Improving Emergency Services: It has established 24×7 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and First Referral Units (FRUs). 
    • By March 2024, 12,348 PHCs had been converted to 24×7 services, and 3,133 FRUs were operational across the country. 
  • To ensure healthcare access in remote and underserved areas, the fleet of mobile medical units (MMUs) has expanded, with 1,424 MMUs now operating.
    • The introduction of the MMU Portal in 2023 further strengthened monitoring and data collection on health indicators for vulnerable tribal groups.

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