AP Records Sharp Decline in Child Malnutrition; Women Internet Users More Than Double: NFHS-6

Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh has recorded a marked improvement in child nutrition and women’s health indicators, with stunting and underweight prevalence among children declining significantly, according to the National Family Health Survey-6 (2023–24).

The survey shows stunting among children under five years has fallen from 31.1 per cent to 25 per cent, while underweight prevalence has dropped from 29.6 per cent to 23.1 per cent.

Wasting among children declined from 17 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019–21) to 15.6 per cent, while severe wasting reduced from 6 per cent to 3.8 per cent, indicating improvement in both chronic and acute undernutrition indicators.

Public health experts attributed the progress to improved maternal healthcare, expanded immunisation coverage, supplementary nutrition programmes and increased awareness among families.

Maternal healthcare indicators also showed substantial gains. Antenatal care during the first trimester rose from 69.7 per cent to 81.7 per cent, while women receiving at least four antenatal check-ups increased from 61.2 per cent to 85.6 per cent.

The proportion of mothers consuming iron and folic acid tablets for at least 100 days during pregnancy increased from 41.1 per cent to 56.3 per cent.

Institutional deliveries rose from 96.4 per cent to 98.5 per cent, while births attended by skilled health personnel improved from 96.1 per cent to 98.7 per cent.

Child immunisation coverage also improved significantly. Fully vaccinated children aged 12–23 months increased from 73.2 per cent to 87.7 per cent, while Hepatitis-B birth dose coverage rose from 79.5 per cent to 91.2 per cent. Rotavirus vaccine coverage increased from 50.2 per cent to 89.9 per cent, and Vitamin-A supplementation improved from 70.3 per cent to 80.9 per cent.

The survey also recorded progress in education, digital access and financial inclusion. Women with 10 or more years of schooling rose from 39.6 per cent to 57.9 per cent, while the corresponding figure among men increased from 48.3 per cent to 65.8 per cent.

Internet usage among women more than doubled from 25.2 per cent to 58.5 per cent, while among men it increased from 53.1 per cent to 79.1 per cent.

Women’s financial inclusion improved, with bank account ownership rising from 84.3 per cent to 94 per cent. Mobile phone ownership among women increased from 48.1 per cent to 68.7 per cent, while household coverage under health insurance schemes rose from 65.2 per cent to 80.6 per cent.

Child marriage among women aged 20–24 years declined from 21.3 per cent to 17.1 per cent. Spousal violence among ever-married women fell from 29.9 per cent to 22.7 per cent, though more than one in five women still reported experiencing physical or sexual violence.

Use of hygienic menstrual products among young women increased from 88.1 per cent to 94.3 per cent.