Improving India’s Healthcare for Mothers and Newborns

Source: The post Improving India’s Healthcare for Mothers and Newborns has been created, based on the article “Bridging gaps, building resilience” published in “The Hindu” on 7 April 2025. Improving India’s Healthcare for Mothers and Newborns.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Context: World Health Day, observed on April 7, highlights global health priorities. The 2025 theme, ‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures’, focuses on maternal and newborn health. For India, with a population of over 1.4 billion, it presents an opportunity to address existing healthcare challenges and push for a more inclusive and resilient health system.

For detailed information on Maternal and Child Health read this article here

Importance of Maternal and Newborn Health in India

1. Maternal and newborn health is crucial in India due to its vast population of over 1.4 billion, emphasizing the need for scalable and effective healthcare solutions.
2. India has made progress through Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), offering financial protection to 500 million people.
3. Health and Wellness Centres aim to strengthen primary care, but challenges remain—staff shortages, poor diagnostics, and irregular medicine supplies.
4. While 70% of the population lives in rural areas, only 35–40% of the healthcare infrastructure is located there.

India’s Dual Disease Burden

1. India faces a dual disease burden—infectious diseases and rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
2. NCDs cause 65% of all deaths, driven by poor lifestyle choices like unhealthy diets, sedentary habits, and tobacco use.
3. According to the International Diabetes Federation (2024), 101 million Indians live with diabetes.
4. Air pollution caused 1.6 million deaths in 2019, as reported by The Lancet.
5. Malnutrition remains a concern: 35% of children under 5 are stunted (NFHS-5); 57% of women aged 15–49 are anaemic
6. Programmes like Poshan Abhiyaan and ICDS target malnutrition but need better data tracking, community engagement, and multi-sector coordination.

Low Public Health Spending and High Out-of-Pocket Costs

1. India’s public health spending remains low. In the 2025–26 Union Budget, the Health Ministry received ₹99,858.56 crore, only 1.97% of the total budget.
2. Out-of-pocket expenses continue to burden families, pushing 55 million people into poverty each year.
3. A shift towards preventive healthcare is essential, through screenings, school-based health programmes, and public awareness campaigns.

Digital Health: Expanding Access but with Gaps

1. India is making progress in digital health.Programmes like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and eSanjeevani have enabled over 10 crore teleconsultations.
2. However, only 37% of rural households have internet access. Many patients and healthcare workers lack digital skills, limiting the benefits.
3. If the digital divide is not addressed, it may worsen inequalities.
4. India must improve rural connectivity, train health workers, and pass data privacy laws.
5. Emerging tools like AI, wearables, and remote monitoring can improve early detection and care, if used responsibly and fairly.

Way Forward: Building a Resilient and Inclusive System

1. India’s health goals align with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and well-being).
2. Unlike developed countries, India still needs stronger public health systems, universal insurance, and early childhood care.
3. India’s G20 presidency in 2023 showcased its leadership in vaccine equity, digital health cooperation, and global health diplomacy.
4. Aligning domestic policy with global frameworks like the International Health Regulations is important.
5. Mental health is a growing concern—14% of Indians suffer from mental disorders (NIMHANS, 2023). Programmes like Tele-MANAS need more support.
6. Climate change and health are linked. The National Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health is a positive step.

Question for practice:

Examine how the theme of World Health Day 2025, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” reflects the healthcare challenges and priorities in India.