Healthcare Access Expands
Recent years have witnessed a transformative expansion of healthcare infrastructure across India, a testament to focused national efforts. The number of All
India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), crucial tertiary care centers, has surged from a modest six to an impressive twenty-three, significantly bolstering the country's capacity to deliver advanced medical services. This strategic growth in facilities is complemented by a notable decrease in out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure for citizens, which has fallen from 62% to 39.4%. This substantial reduction has been facilitated by robust initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, alongside widespread health screening programs, all aimed at making quality healthcare more affordable and accessible to a larger segment of the population. The administration's commitment to strengthening the foundational aspects of healthcare delivery has visibly improved the overall health ecosystem.
Maternal and Child Health Gains
India has achieved remarkable progress in maternal and child health, with institutional deliveries climbing from 78% to an impressive 89%. This upward trend signifies a significant shift towards safer childbirth practices, where skilled medical professionals attend to mothers during labor and delivery. Concurrently, critical indicators for child and maternal well-being have shown substantial improvement. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), which measures the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), indicating deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births, have both declined at a rate nearly three times faster than the global average. These figures underscore the effectiveness of targeted health interventions and improved access to prenatal and postnatal care across the nation, contributing to healthier mothers and a greater survival rate for newborns.
Disease Control Milestones
The nation has also made significant strides in combating major diseases, earning international recognition for its efforts. In the fight against tuberculosis (TB), India's decline rate for the disease has been observed to be twice the global average, highlighting effective control strategies and treatment adherence. Furthermore, the impact of malaria has been considerably mitigated, with malaria-related deaths now accounting for a mere 0.6% of all deaths, a remarkable achievement given India's position as home to approximately one-sixth of the world's population. These successes in disease management reflect the successful implementation of public health programs, enhanced diagnostic capabilities, and widespread awareness campaigns that have collectively contributed to a healthier populace and a reduced burden of infectious diseases.
