The first-phase data of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019-20 is released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
What are the key findings?
The latest data pertains to 17 states, including Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal, and five Union Territories (including J&K) and captures the state of health in these states before the Covid pandemic.
Phase 2 of the survey, which will cover other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, was delayed due to the pandemic and its results are expected to be made available in May 2021.
Several states across the country have reversed course and recorded worsening levels of child malnutrition.
The proportion of underweight children in several big states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Assam and Kerala, have seen an increase.
Between NFHS-3 (2005-05) and 4 (2015-16), there was progress on mortality reduction.
How the malnutrition is measured in NFHS?
The parameters such as child stunting, child wasting, share of children underweight and child mortality rate are used to measure the malnutrition.
The NFHS-5, however, includes some new topics, such as preschool education, disability, access to a toilet facility, death registration, bathing practices during menstruation, and methods and reasons for abortion.
