(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) National Family Health Survey-5

[February-2022]

National Family Health Survey-5

Introduction:

The National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) provides data on a range of indicators pertaining to health and nutrition, among others, from over 6 lakh sample households. The data is disaggregated to the level of districts to enable identification of areas where progress has been made as well as provide direction for future policy action. Availability of disaggregated data on a regular basis can enable the development of specific plans for districts that have a disproportionate burden of diseases.

The key results from India and Phase-II States/UTs NFHS-5 Factsheets are as below:

The Total Fertility Rates (TFR), an average number of children per women has further declined from 2.2 to 2.0 at the national level and all 14 States/UT’s ranging from 1.4 in Chandigarh to 2.4 in Uttar Pradesh. All Phase-II States have achieved replacement level of fertility (2.1) except Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Overall Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has increased substantially from 54 percent to 67 percent at all-India level and in almost all Phase-II States/UTs with an exception of Punjab. Use of modern methods of contraceptives has also increased in almost all States/UTs.
Unmet needs of family Planning have witnessed a significant decline from 13 percent to 9 percent at all-India level and in most of the Phase-II States/UTs. The unmet need for spacing which remained a major issue in India in the past has come down to less than 10 percent in all the States except Jharkhand (12 percent), Arunachal Pradesh (13 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (13 percent).
Full immunisation drive among children aged 12-23 months has recorded substantial improvement from 62 percent to 76 percent at all-India level. Eleven out of fourteen States/UTs has more than three-fourth of children aged 12-23 months with fully immunization and it is highest (90 percent) for Odisha. On comparing NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 data, the increase in full immunisation coverage is observed to be expeditious in many states and UTs; more than 50 percent of Phase-II States/ UTs are sharing over 10 percentage points during the short span of 4 years. This can be attributed to the flagship initiative of ‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the government since 2015.
There is an increase from 51 percent to 58 percent of women receiving the recommended four or more ANC visits by health providers at all-India level. Also, all the Phase-II States/UTs have shown improvement except Punjab between 2015-16 to 2019-20.
Institutional births have increased substantially from 79 percent to 89 percent at all-India Level.
Institutional delivery is 100 percent in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu and more than 90 percent in 7 States/UTs out of 12 Phase-II States/UTs. Along with an increase in institutional births, there has also been a substantial increase in C-section deliveries in many States/UTs especially in private health facilities.
Child Nutrition indicators show a slight improvement at all-India level as Stunting has declined from 38 percent to 36 per cent, wasting from 21 percent to 19 percent and underweight from 36 per cent to 32 percent at all India level. In all phase-II States/UTs situation has improved in respect of child nutrition but the change is not significant as drastic changes in respect of these indicators are unlikely in short span period.
Anaemia among children and women continues to be a cause of concern. More than half of the children and women (including pregnant women) are anaemic in all the phase-II States/UTs and all-India level compared to NFHS4, in spite of substantial increase in the composition of iron folic acid (IFA) tablets by pregnant women for 180 days or more.
Exclusive breastfeeding to children under age 6 months has shown an improvement in all-India level from 55 percent in 2015-16 to 64 per cent in 2019-21. All the phase-II States/UTs are also showing a considerable progress.
Women empowerment indicators portray considerable improvement at all India level and across all the phase-II States/UTs. Significant progress has been recorded between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 in regard to women operating bank accounts from 53 percent to 79 percent at all-India level. For instance, in the case of Madhya Pradesh the increase was to the tune of 37 percentage point from 37 percent to 75 percent. More than 70 percent of women in every state and UTs in the second phase have operational bank accounts.