Publication:

India’s performance in achieving the targets of sustainable development goal-3 and the national health policy 2017 based on NFHS data

Background India is committed to pursue the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the UN agenda 2030. Our objective is to evaluate India’s required progress rate for achieving the health-related targets under SDG 3 and the national health policy of India 2017.

Methods The data were collected from the reports of NFHS-4 and NFHS-5. Targets were taken from the United Nations SDG 2030 and the national health policy of India, 2017. When target is 100 percent, the annual rate of progress = [(Xt1 – Xt0)/ 100- Xt0] * [1/ (t1 – t0)]. Here t0 is the survey period of NFHS-4 and t1 is the survey period of NFHS-5. Xt1 and Xt0 represent the indicator’s values for the corresponding years. The rate of progress necessary to meet the target by the target year (α) = (Xtg – Xt1) / Xt1 where Xtg is the achievable value of an indicator in the target year and Xt1 is the value of the base year.

Results The required rate of progress to achieve the targets of SDG-3 was considerably higher than the current rate in case of neo-natal mortality rate, maternal mortality ratio, standard antenatal care visits, HIV/AIDS awareness, and households using clean energy for cooking and having health insurance. The targets of infant mortality rate and MMR of national health policy of India 2017 have not been achieved.

Conclusions Government should immediately intervene where the required rate of progress to achieve the health-related targets of SDG-3 and national health policy of India, 2017 is considerably lagging.