The National Health Mission has played an instrumental role in transforming India’s healthcare landscape over the past three years. Through its targeted programs, expanded workforce, and strengthened infrastructure, NHM continues to improve healthcare accessibility and quality across the nation.

The National Health Mission (NHM) has been given a give year extension by the union cabinet. Union minister Piyush Goyal said the decision to continue the NHM was taken as it has been able to meet historic targets in the last 10 years.

NHM, the ministry of health says, has made remarkable strides in improving India’s public health landscape between FY 2021-24.

The union cabinet has considered how the NHM has, through its targeted interventions, the mission has driven substantial progress in maternal and child health, disease elimination, and healthcare infrastructure, contributing to significant enhancements in health outcomes across the country.

The National Health Policy, 2017 envisages- “the attainment of the highest possible level of health and wellbeing for all at all ages, through a preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies, and universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence”.

The aim of NHM is to ensure progress towards the goals and targets set out in the National Health Policy, 2017 for ensuring “universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services, accountable and responsive to people’s needs”.

This will also enable the country to advance towards meeting Sustainable Development Goal3, i.e. “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”, including Universal Health Coverage.

Strengthening Healthcare Workforce

One of NHM’s most significant achievements has been the expansion of the healthcare workforce. Over the three-year period, NHM engaged more than 12 lakh additional healthcare workers. In FY 2021-22 alone, 2.69 lakh personnel, including General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs), specialists, staff nurses, ANMs, AYUSH doctors, and public health managers, were inducted. The subsequent year saw the addition of 4.21 lakh healthcare professionals, followed by 5.23 lakh workers in FY 2023-24, including a growing number of Community Health Officers (CHOs). This expansion has strengthened healthcare delivery, particularly at the grassroots level.

NHM played a pivotal role in India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between January 2021 and March 2024, NHM facilitated the administration of over 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses nationwide. The India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package (ECRP), implemented in two phases under NHM, further fortified the healthcare infrastructure to combat the pandemic effectively.

Maternal and Child Health Improvements

Significant progress has been made in maternal and child health indicators under NHM. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined by 83 per cent since 1990, surpassing the global decline of 45 per cent. Similarly, the Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) saw a 75 per cent reduction compared to the global reduction of 60 per cent. These improvements indicate India’s steady progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ahead of the 2030 deadline.

NHM has made remarkable progress in controlling and eliminating various communicable diseases:

• Tuberculosis (TB): The incidence rate reduced from 237 per 1,00,000 population in 2015 to 195 in 2023, with the TB mortality rate dropping from 28 to 22 during the same period. Under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, 1.56 lakh Ni-kshay Mitra volunteers are supporting over 9.4 lakh TB patients.
• Malaria: Malaria cases and deaths have declined significantly, with sustained efforts leading to improved surveillance and control measures.
• Kala Azar: NHM successfully met elimination targets, achieving less than one case per 10,000 population in all endemic blocks by the end of 2023.
• Measles-Rubella: A 97.98 per cent coverage was achieved under the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0, with 34.77 crore children vaccinated.

NHM has also expanded critical healthcare services and infrastructure:

• Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) Centers: The number of operational centers reached 1.72 lakh by FY 2023-24, with 1.34 lakh centers offering 12 key healthcare services.
• Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme: Over 4.53 lakh dialysis patients benefited from more than 62.35 lakh hemodialysis sessions in FY 2023-24.
• National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission: Since its launch in 2023, over 2.61 crore individuals, primarily in tribal areas, have been screened.
• U-WIN Digital Platform: Launched in January 2023, the platform has expanded to 65 districts across 36 States/UTs, enhancing vaccination tracking and coverage.

Addressing Public Health Challenges

Efforts to enhance healthcare infrastructure have been significant. As of March 2024:

• Public Health Facility Certification: 7,998 public health facilities have been certified under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), with over 4,200 receiving national certification.
• Emergency Services: 12,348 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) were converted to 24×7 facilities, and 3,133 First Referral Units (FRUs) were operational.
• Mobile Medical Units (MMUs): A fleet of 1,424 MMUs now provide healthcare services in remote and underserved areas.

NHM has also tackled pressing public health concerns such as tobacco use and snakebite envenoming. A 17.3 per cent reduction in tobacco use was achieved through sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement of tobacco control laws. Additionally, the National Action Plan for Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), launched in FY 2022-23, has focused on prevention, education, and management strategies.

The National Health Mission has played an instrumental role in transforming India’s healthcare landscape over the past three years. Through its targeted programs, expanded workforce, and strengthened infrastructure, NHM continues to improve healthcare accessibility and quality across the nation. With sustained efforts, India remains on track to achieve its health-related SDGs well before the 2030 deadline.