Experts call for State-specific modules in National Family Health Survey

Published 27 July 2026 · health

Speakers at a workshop on Family Health Survey 2023-2024 (NFHS-6) raised the need for State-specific modules in future rounds of the surveys. For Tamil Nadu

Speakers at a workshop on Family Health Survey 2023-2024 (NFHS-6) raised the need for State-specific modules in future rounds of the surveys. For Tamil Nadu, they said the survey should cover issues such as infertility, ageing, underweight among children and migration. S. Irudaya Rajan, chairperson, International Institute for Migration and Development, Thiruvananthapuram, said only 10 of the 101 variables in NFHS-6 are really useful for policy making in Tamil Nadu. Citing Total Fertility Rate (TFR) as an example, he questioned the need to talk about TFR, which stands at 1.7 for Tamil Nadu, instead of talking about infertility. Indicators of concern in Tamil Nadu [NFHS-6] Antenatal care in first trimester Early initiation of breastfeeding Caesarean in public facilities Exclusive breastfeeding Adequate complementary diet Vitamin A dose Stunting Wasting Elevated blood pressure in women Elevated blood sugar in women Obesity in women He raised the need for more research on the nutritional status of children, noting that children under five years who were stunted in Tamil Nadu stood at 20.7%, wasted was 17.4%, and underweight was 23.2%.

“One-fourth of children are underweight. Where are we heading?” he asked. Similarly, he said that men and women being overweight or obese has implications for the future (44.2% of women and 38.8% of men). Irudaya Rajan said that NFHS-6 has nothing about the elderly when ageing is an important topic for Tamil Nadu. Some of the key highlights Delivery, Post Natal Care Births delivered by caesarean section have more than doubled in 20 years Caesarean sections in private facilities have almost doubled, standing at 60.3% in NFHS-6 62.1% of persons in rural areas go to private health facilities for caesarean sections Caesarean sections in public health facilities have also increased - 39.6% in NFHS-6 One in 10 women did not receive postnatal care Four out of 10 women are overweight/obese Child Vaccinations, Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children Children age 24-35 months who have received a second dose of measles-containing vaccine stood at 75.6% Only 54.8% children under age 3 years breastfed within one hour of birth 55.6% children under age 6 months exclusively breastfed, lowest among south Indian States Children age 6-23 months receiving an adequate diet is 20.6% Interventions recommended for child nutrition Adequate complementary diet Periodic deworming Anaemia management in women Source: Presentation on NFHS-6 by faculty of School of Public Health, SRMIST during workshop on NFHS-6 He went on to emphasise the need to look at internal migration - factors such as their living conditions, wages, inability to bring their families and language barriers.