Final Report of National Family Health Survey Released Today

October 11, 2007

DELHI –The final report of the 2005-06 National Family Health Survey was released today by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The report offers the first-ever comprehensive picture of the health and well-being of India’s men, women, and children. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided support for the survey which will serve as a valuable tool for developing effective health policies and programs in India.

The report paints a mixed picture of India’s overall health. On the one hand, women are having fewer children and infant mortality has dropped in the seven-year period since the last NFHS survey in 1998-99. On the other hand, anemia and malnutrition are still widespread among children and adults. Only about half the women surveyed received recommended care during pregnancy and only four out of ten women gave birth in a health facility. The report also indicates that less than half of Indian children receive all recommended vaccinations.

In addition to providing funding support, USAID was nominated by the Government of India as donor coordinator for the survey and coordinated funding support from other donors such as DFID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund.

USAID also supported earlier NFHS surveys carried out in 1992-93 and 1998-99. All three surveys were conducted under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, with the International Institute for Population Sciences.