India's Health Scorecard: NFHS-6 Reveals Progress Amid New Challenges for Women, Children

India's latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) findings, released on May 29, 2026, paint a mixed but largely progressive picture of women's and children's health across the nation. The comprehensive survey reveals significant strides in critical areas like maternal and child healthcare, alongside notable gains in women's empowerment indicators such as internet usage and financial inclusion. However, the report also highlights emerging health challenges, including a concerning rise in adult obesity and a decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates, pointing towards a new 'double burden' of disease. The NFHS-6, conducted during 2023-24, shows institutional deliveries reaching over 90%, a substantial increase in antenatal care coverage, and a commendable drop in child stunting from 35.5% to 29.3%. Women's internet use nearly doubled to 64.3%, and bank account ownership surged to 89%, indicating enhanced agency. Yet, the survey flags a sharp rise in C-sections, now at 27.2%—well above recommended levels—and a troubling increase in adult obesity, especially among women, from 24% to 31%. There's also been a noted decline in exclusive breastfeeding and modern contraceptive use, alongside ongoing debate regarding the preliminary fact sheets omitting key data like anaemia and child mortality, which the government states are now tracked by other specialized surveys or will be in the full report. As the full detailed report is still awaited, policymakers and health experts are grappling with these multifaceted insights. The challenge now lies in designing targeted interventions that not only sustain progress in maternal and child health and women's empowerment but also effectively address the growing burden of lifestyle diseases and nutritional gaps. The NFHS-6 underscores the urgent need for India to adapt its public health strategies to combat these evolving health landscapes, ensuring that social and economic reforms translate into genuinely improved well-being for all.