CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu, widely regarded as one of India's better-performing states in healthcare, has recorded a decline in health insurance coverage, a rise in caesarean-section deliveries, and worsening indicators related to diabetes, obesity, and child nutrition, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6.
The latest survey data for 2023-24, released on Friday, showed that the share of households covered under a health insurance or financing scheme fell to 61.1 per cent from 66.5 per cent recorded in NFHS-5 (2019-21), leaving nearly four out of every 10 households outside the insurance net.
The findings come at a time when both the Centre and the State have expanded publicly funded health insurance programmes to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure and improve access to treatment.
The survey also flagged a further increase in caesarean-section deliveries, with 46.9 per cent of births in Tamil Nadu being conducted through C-section, up from 44.9 per cent in the previous survey.
The trend was particularly pronounced in private hospitals, where 60.3 per cent of deliveries were carried out through surgical intervention. In government health facilities, the corresponding figure stood at 35.7 per cent.
The NFHS-6 data also pointed to a growing burden of non-communicable diseases across the State. Among women aged 15 years and above, the proportion with high blood sugar levels or those taking medication to control diabetes rose sharply from 20.7 per cent to 25.2 per cent. Among men, the figure increased from 22.1 per cent to 26.7 per cent.
Obesity levels also continued to rise. The percentage of women classified as overweight or obese increased from 40.5 per cent to 44.2 per cent, while the proportion among men rose from 37.1 per cent to 38.8 per cent.
The survey further highlighted concerns over child nutrition. The prevalence of wasting among children under five years increased from 14.6 per cent to 17.4 per cent, while the proportion of underweight children rose from 22 per cent to 23.2 per cent. These indicators are widely used to assess acute and chronic nutritional deficiencies among children.
Maternal healthcare indicators, which have traditionally been a strength of Tamil Nadu, also declined. The proportion of mothers receiving antenatal care during the first trimester dropped from 77.4 per cent to 71.2 per cent. Mothers receiving any antenatal care declined from 95.8 per cent to 92.2 per cent, while those receiving at least four antenatal visits fell from 90.6 per cent to 87.6 per cent.
Postnatal care indicators also weakened. Mothers receiving postnatal care within two days of delivery declined from 93.2 per cent to 90.5 per cent, while newborns receiving postnatal care within the same period fell from 94.9 per cent to 92.7 per cent.
While Tamil Nadu continues to maintain near-universal institutional deliveries at 99.7 per cent and remains ahead of many states on healthcare access, the latest survey points to emerging challenges in financial protection, maternal healthcare utilisation, nutrition outcomes and lifestyle-related diseases.