The fourth Health Index launched by NITI Aayog ranks Kerala as the state with the best overall health performance among larger states. Uttar Pradesh ranks the lowest.
In the fourth round of the Health Index, the period 2019-20 was considered (reference year).
Tamil Nadu and Telangana appear to be the second and third best performing states on health indicators, according to the report by the government think tank.
However, the report found that Uttar Pradesh tops the list of most incremental performance based on the changes that occurred from the base year (2018-19) to the reference year (2019-20).
While Mizoram emerged as the top performer among the smaller states in terms of overall performance as well as incremental performance, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir ranked among the bottom UTs in terms of overall performance but emerged as the top performers in terms of incremental performance.
The report was compiled in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and technical assistance from the World Bank.
NITI Aayog health index
While India has experienced significant economic growth over the past decades, our achievements in population health have not kept pace, mentions NITI Aayog on its website. As per the National Development Agenda that was unanimously endorsed by all State Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories in 2015, health, nutrition, education, women, and children were identified as priority sectors. Rapid improvement in these sectors is imperative for achieving the National Development Agenda. Despite the fact that the responsibility is shared between the Centre and the states, health being a state subject, implementation in this area is mostly done by the states.
Together with other countries, India has committed to the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure prosperity for all as one part of a new global sustainable development agenda to be achieved by 2030. In India, there is renewed commitment to accelerate the pace of achieving the SDGs, including Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for everyone at any age.
