India's Child Health: Progress Mixed, Concerns Remain

Child health data from NFHS-6 indicates a mixed progress report for India. Nationally, the rate of stunting in children has reduced from 35.5% to 29.3%, a significant improvement. However, this national gain masks concerning trends in several large states. Severe wasting, a critical indicator of acute malnutrition, has declined, but overall wasting remains high, affecting nearly one in five children under five. Underweight prevalence also persists, with about a third of Indian children under five still underweight.

State-level data reveals significant setbacks. Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have seen an increase in underweight children, while UP and Rajasthan reported a rise in wasting. Rajasthan also recorded a notable increase in underweight children. These deteriorations in major states are concerning. Furthermore, only 15.3% of children aged 6-23 months receive an adequate diet, far below recommended levels.

A particularly worrying trend is the decline in exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months, which has fallen from 63.7% to 55.8% nationally. States like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan have experienced sharp drops. This decline, contrasting with improvements in states like Kerala, suggests a critical gap in postnatal support. While vaccination coverage has seen success, the persistent issues of wasting, dietary inadequacy, and declining breastfeeding pose major risks to India's child health progress.