National Health Mission (NHM): Achievements and Impact on India’s Public Health

Latest Updates on NHM

The National Health Mission (NHM) has made significant strides in enhancing public health in India. It has notably reduced maternal mortality, tuberculosis (TB), and sickle cell anemia, while expanding healthcare human resources and responding effectively to health emergencies. These accomplishments were highlighted in the Central Government’s 2021-24 report, which was presented to the Union Cabinet on January 22, 2025.

Overview of the National Health Mission (NHM)

NHM is a national initiative aimed at providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare services to all citizens.

History and Evolution

The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched in 2005 to establish quality healthcare systems for rural populations, focusing on vulnerable groups and extending services up to the District Hospital (DH) level.
In 2012, the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) was introduced, and the NRHM was rebranded as the National Health Mission (NHM), consisting of two sub-missions: NRHM and NUHM.

NHM’s Core Objectives

• Ensure universal access to quality healthcare services
• Deliver affordable and equitable healthcare
• Address healthcare needs responsive to the community
• Ensure accountability in healthcare services
• Work towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3)

Implementation Strategy

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare supports states and union territories with both financial and technical assistance to ensure accessible, affordable, accountable, and effective healthcare services at the district level.

Key NHM Components

1. Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A): Focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes, reducing child mortality, and improving nutrition.
2. Health Systems Strengthening: Aimed at improving healthcare facilities, human resources, and governance structures.
3. Non-Communicable Disease Control: Targets healthcare services for chronic diseases.
4. Communicable Disease Control: Focuses on preventing and managing infectious diseases.
5. Infrastructure Maintenance: Supports the staffing and training of healthcare workers, including family welfare schemes, and the establishment of new centers.

Key Achievements of NHM (2021-24)

1. Expansion of Healthcare Workforce
   • FY 2021-22: 2.69 lakh workers, including 90,740 Community Health Officers (CHOs).
   • FY 2022-23: 4.21 lakh workers, including 1.29 lakh CHOs.
   • FY 2023-24: 5.23 lakh workers, including 1.38 lakh CHOs.
2. Decline in Maternal and Child Mortality
   • Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): A decrease of 83% since 1990, surpassing the global decline rate of 45%.
   • Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR): Reduced from 45 (2014) to 32 (2020).
   • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Decreased from 39 (2014) to 28 (2020).
   • Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Dropped from 2.3 (2015) to 2.0 (2020).
3. Disease Control & Elimination
   • Tuberculosis (TB): TB incidence reduced from 237 per 1,00,000 in 2015 to 195 in 2023. Mortality rate decreased from 28 to 22.
   • Malaria: Declined by 13.28% in cases and 3.22% in deaths in 2021.
   • Kala-Azar: Endemic areas reached the target of less than one case per 10,000 people by 2023.
4. Vaccination Initiatives
   • The Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign successfully vaccinated 34.77 crore children under the Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0, achieving 97.98% coverage.
5. COVID-19 Response
   • Over 220 crore vaccine doses administered between January 2021 and March 2024.
   • Phased implementation of the India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package.
6. Special Health Programs
   • Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: 1.56 lakh volunteers supported 9.4 lakh TB patients.
   • Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme: Over 62 lakh dialysis sessions provided to 4.53 lakh patients in FY 2023-24.
   • National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission: Over 2.61 crore individuals screened in tribal areas.
7. Digital Health Innovations
   • The U-WIN platform launched in January 2023 tracks real-time vaccinations, covering 65 districts by FY 2023-24.
8. Healthcare Infrastructure
   • 7,998 public health facilities certified under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS).
   • The number of operational Ayushman Arogya Mandir centers grew to 1,72,148, offering 12 key healthcare services.
9. SDG Progress
   NHM has positioned India to achieve U.N. Sustainable Development Goals related to maternal, child, and infant mortality well ahead of the 2030 deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions about NHM

1. What is the aim of NHM?
   NHM aims to provide universal access to quality, affordable, and equitable healthcare for all in India.
2. What are some government schemes under NHM?
   Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme are part of NHM.
3. What are the six domains of health under NHM?
   The six domains include Reproductive Health, Maternal Health, Child Health, Adolescent Health, Non-Communicable Diseases, and Communicable Diseases.
4. What are the duties of NHM?
   NHM works on improving healthcare infrastructure, reducing mortality rates, expanding the healthcare workforce, and controlling diseases.
5. What are the two sub-missions of NHM?
   The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) are the two sub-missions under NHM.

Source: TH; PIB; NHM