The 16th Conference of the CCHFW was held on June 29, 2026. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda announced a suite of measures to boost maternal‑child health, emergency medical services and anaemia control, while urging stronger Centre‑State cooperation for universal health coverage.
Key Developments
- Launch of the revised Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan with saturation‑based screening, digital beneficiary tracking and case‑based management.
- Release of the National Ambulance Services Operational Guidelines 2026, setting uniform standards for ambulances nationwide.
- Unveiling of the SUMAN Roadmap 2030 to improve service quality and reduce maternal‑neonatal mortality.
- Inauguration of the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram, merging newborn and child home‑care into a single continuum.
Important Facts
The Minister highlighted several health indicators:
- The Maternal Mortality Ratio fell from 130 to 87 per 1,00,000 live births since 2014.
- Under‑five mortality rate dropped by 79% since 1990.
- Total fertility rate reached 2.0 and life expectancy rose to 70.3 years.
- Tuberculosis incidence declined by 21%; neonatal tetanus eliminated; polio‑free status maintained; kala‑azar and malaria cases reduced markedly.
- Mission Indradhanush immunised over 5.46 crore missed children; more than 50 lakh adolescent girls received the HPV vaccine since February 2026.
Exam Relevance
- Understanding the role of CCHFW helps answer questions on health governance and Centre‑State relations (GS2).
- Data on MMR and child mortality are vital for GS3 health indicators.
- Programs like Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan illustrate policy design and implementation challenges.
- Standardisation of emergency services via National Ambulance Services reflects inter‑governmental coordination (GS2) and health infrastructure development (GS3).
Way Forward
Successful rollout will depend on active participation of States and Union Territories. The Centre will continue to provide policy direction, technical support and financing, while states must ensure ground‑level execution, monitoring and data reporting. Strengthening digital health platforms, expanding community health workers and ensuring adequate funding are essential to achieve the envisioned Viksit Bharat by 2047.