TOWARDS A HEALTHY INDIA
It is noteworthy that India’s total fertility rate (TFR) has been steadily declining and is now at 2.3; while state-wise disparities exist, a declining trend is recorded across states, explaining the declining growth rate of population.
India is set to reach the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) with respect to maternal and child survival.
- The MDG for maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 140 per 100,000 live births, while India had achieved 178 by 2010-12 and is estimated to reach 141 by 2015.
- The under- 5 mortality rate (U5MR) MDG is 42, while India has an U5MR of 52 and is expected to reach 42 by 2015.
However, significant effort is required to improve the rate of decline of still-births and neonatal mortality, which have been lower/ stagnant in some states. While overall death rates have been declining, owing to improvement in health accessibility and facilities, SRS (2013) reports that a significant 30 per cent of all deaths occur in the age group 0-4 years; the percentages are higher for girl children in both rural and urban areas.
Recent Initiatives
A direct relationship exists between water, sanitation, health, nutrition, and human well- being.
- The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) launched on 2 October 2014 aims at attaining an open defecation free (ODF) India by 2 October 2019, by providing access to toilet facilities to all rural households and initiating Solid and Liquid Waste Management activities in all gram panchayats to promote cleanliness.
- Together with capacity building efforts by multiple agencies including Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs), field- level implementers, organizations of high repute identified as key resource centres (KRCs), self- help groups, women’s groups, convergence with other state departments like Health, Women & Child Development, and Panchayati Raj, provision has been made for incentivizing accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and anganwadi workers to promote sanitation. Guidelines are also in place to involve corporates in the sanitation sector through corporate social responsibility.
- In order to improve the availability of drinking water in rural areas, 20,000 solar power based water supply schemes have been approved under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) across all the states for their habitations located in far-flung / hilly areas or where availability of electricity is a constraint.
- Mission Indradhanush was launched on 25 December 2014 with the aim of covering all those children who are either unvaccinated or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine-preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles, and hepatitis B by 2020.
- With the goal of providing holistic health solutions, the erstwhile Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has been elevated to a full- fledged ministry from 9 November 2014.
- The basic objective of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) is to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost-effective AYUSH services and strengthening of educational systems. Steps are also underway for including yoga in the regular education curriculum. The UN has declared 21 June International Yoga Day.
Given the multiple determinants of health, it is clear that a prevention agenda that addresses the social and economic environment requires cross-sectoral, multi-level interventions that involve sectors such as food and nutrition, education, drinking water and sanitation, housing, employment, industrial and occupational safety, welfare including social protection, family and community services, tribal affairs, and communications.
Examples of Good Practices
Mundla Village of Icchawar Block in Sehore district – 100 per cent sanitized village
- Before the launch of the Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All (WASH) campaign in Mundla village on in February 2014, there were four functional toilets in the village. As of 2 October 2014, the village has been declared an ODF village. The efforts of villagers have converted it into a hygienic and 100 per cent sanitized village.
Asia’s Cleanest Village
- Mawlynnong in Meghalaya is a model that showcases how collective effort can help a village find a place on the tourism map. The village has 80 households, of which 29 are below poverty line (BPL). Being awarded the Asia’s Cleanest Village award has resulted in an increase in the number of tourists to this village. The villagers have also constructed two tree houses with eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, which provide a magnificent bird’s-eye view of the beautiful and clean village and a panoramic view of Bangladesh villages, a few miles away.
POVERTY
Over a span of seven years the incidence of poverty declined from 37.2 per cent to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 for the country as a whole, with a sharper decline in the number of rural poor.
abhijeetgautam 