Madhya Pradesh sees uneven child health progress amid rising malnutrition

Child health in Madhya Pradesh shows both progress and worrying setbacks, according to recent data. While vaccination rates and early breastfeeding have improved, malnutrition and diarrhoea cases are on the rise. The figures highlight persistent challenges in child nutrition and healthcare access across the state. Vaccination coverage has seen a slight but steady increase. The share of fully immunised children aged 12 to 23 months rose from 83.3% to 85.8%. Nearly all vaccinations—97.4%—were administered in government hospitals, reflecting reliance on public health services.

Early breastfeeding practices have also improved, with 49.9% of newborns now breastfed within the first hour of birth, up from 41.3%. However, exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months has dropped sharply, falling from 74% to 56.4%.

On a positive note, acute respiratory infections in children under five have declined, with cases falling from 2.6% to 1.4%. Yet diarrhoeal diseases have worsened, with overall prevalence rising from 6.4% to 10.5%. Severe diarrhoea cases also increased, from 0.5% to 0.7%.

Nutritional deficiencies remain a major concern. Nearly 39.7% of children are now underweight, compared to 33% in 2019. Dietary inadequacy is widespread, affecting 87.6% of breastfed children and 91.1% of non-breastfed children aged 6 to 23 months. Overall, 88% of young children in this age group lack a sufficiently nutritious diet. The latest data reveals mixed outcomes for child health in Madhya Pradesh. Immunisation and early breastfeeding have made gains, but malnutrition and diarrhoea rates continue to climb. With nearly nine in ten young children missing out on adequate nutrition, the state faces ongoing challenges in ensuring healthy growth and development.