Ideology Trumps Analysis

Context: Contrary to some recent observations, the newly released National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data reveals large improvements in welfare for Indian children, women, and households.

Positive Trends showcased by the NFHS-2019-2020 and World Bank data: There has been considerable improvements/stagnation in many of the 131 indicators of social welfare.

• Stunting: The stunting average was 46% in 2000, 36% in 2015 and 35.5% in 2019-20.
• Teenage Pregnancy: Declined from 19.9%(2005) to 8.7%(2015), and one percentage points (ppt) lower in 2019; Net improvement — about 12 ppt in 15 years.
  • India had the 10th lowest level in 2015, with Nepal nine positions lower (16.7%) and Bangladesh (30.8% in 2014) with the ninth highest magnitude of teen pregnancies.
• Child mortality: Data on three indicators (neo-natal, infant and under-five) show an improvement between 3 and 4 ppt respectively.
• Immunization: The hepatitis B vaccine percentage (for children 12-23 months) increased from 64.8% in 2015 to 83.6% in 2019.
• Breast-feeding and diet of children 6-23 months: Average gain of 4 ppt for four indicators.
• Modern birth control methods, age at marriage, teenage pregnancies, and sexual violence all show improvement. (avg. Improvement in 7 indicators – 3.9 ppt).
• Other improvements:
  • Households with electricity (9.2 ppt),
  • Improved sanitation facilities (17.3 ppt),
  • Clean fuel for cooking (18 ppt)
  • Women having a bank account that they use(29.8 ppt increase to a level of 77.2% in 2019).

Negative trends/ stagnations

• Wasting: Increased from 17.5% (2000) to 3 ppt higher in 2015 which remained stagnated in 2019 (while the world’s average improved by 1.6 ppt).
  • Children under five years who are severely wasted, increase to 8.6% from 7.6% in 2015.
• Children with fever taken to health facility: declined from 72.6% in 2015 to 71.3% in 2019.