SBI Report Shows Better Health Outcomes for Women and Children

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Wednesday, 17 June 2026

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) has reported a significant improvement in India’s key health indicators over the past three years, and SBI Research pointed notable gains in child health, maternal health, immunisation and women's financial inclusion. The report, however, highlighted the importance of increased investment in integrated health services for mothers and children to secure progress and respond to new health problems.

SBI Research states that the recent survey NFHS-6 is a more reliable indicator of health outcomes due to the time gap between the surveys being reduced from six years to three years. This shorter cycle provides policy makers with a better opportunity to track progress and make timely adjustments, the report said.

"The gap has been reduced to a fixed 3-year interval under the current Government to have a better tracking of indicators," SBI Research stated.

One of the most positive findings is in the field of children's health; especially the decline in stunting in children under 5 years old. Significant progress has also been made in reducing the prevalence of stunted children, decreasing from 35.5 per cent in 2019-21 to 29.3 per cent in 2023-24. There was also a significant improvement in immunisation coverage, with the proportion of children aged 12-23 months fully vaccinated rising from 76.6 per cent in the earlier survey (NFHS-5) to 82.6 per cent in the current survey.

Key Highlights

• Child stunting falls sharply, showing major nutrition improvement.
• Full vaccination coverage rises significantly among young children.
• Maternal healthcare access expands, but obesity concerns increase.

Despite such achievements, the report noted moderate progress in combating underweight and wasted children. SBI Research stressed comprehensive and all-encompassing approach to nutritional challenges, rather than one-off interventions. The report advocated a holistic approach involving government agencies, private sector participation, communities, and stronger awareness and monitoring mechanisms to improve nutrition outcomes.

The study further observed that states allocating higher expenditure towards medical and health services generally experienced greater reductions in stunting and underweight prevalence, although the statistical significance of the relationship remained limited.

Maternal healthcare indicators also showed marked improvement. The percentage of institutional deliveries has risen to almost 100 per cent (90.6 per cent), and the number of mothers attending four or more antenatal care visits has grown to 65.2 per cent. The improvements reflect improved access to health care for pregnant women and new mothers throughout the country.

However, the survey identified a new public health concern. The prevalence of obesity among women has also increased significantly, from 24.0 per cent during NFHS-5 to 30.7 per cent in 2023-24, putting women at a greater risk of lifestyle related illness and non-communicable diseases. India's demographic transition is also said to be maturing. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) stood at 2.0 and contraceptive prevalence has increased to 69.1 per cent. Financial inclusion for women also saw a significant improvement, with 89.0 per cent of women being able to operate their own bank or saving accounts, compared to 78.6 per cent in the last survey.

SBI Research stated that while India's health outcomes have improved meaningfully, future gains will depend on increased spending on integrated child and maternal healthcare. The report noted that the country must simultaneously address persistent undernutrition and the rising burden of obesity and other non-communicable diseases to ensure long-term public health progress.