SDG 3 – Health and Nutrition in India

1. Context

• India’s SDG Index 2025: Rank 99/167, improved from 109 (2024).

• Progress in basic services and infrastructure, but health & nutrition gaps persist, especially in rural and tribal regions.

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2. SDG 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”

India’s Progress & Gaps

• Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): 97 (target 70).

• Under-5 Mortality Rate: 32 per 1,000 (target 25).

• Life Expectancy: 70 years (target 73.6).

• Out-of-pocket expenditure: 13% of consumption (target 7.83%).

• Immunisation coverage: 93.2% (target 100%).

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3. Reasons for Gaps

• Economic barriers → poor infrastructure, high costs.

• Non-economic factors → malnutrition, hygiene, sanitation, lifestyle diseases.

• Cultural/social stigma → prevents access to physical & mental health services.

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4. Policy Prescriptions

(a) Universal Health Coverage

• Universal Health Insurance → reduces catastrophic expenditure (World Bank).

• Equity in access: lessons from countries with robust insurance systems.

(b) Strengthening Primary Health Care

• High-quality PHCs, linked with secondary & tertiary care.

• WHO (2022): Strong PHCs reduce costs & improve outcomes.

• Use of digital health tools → telemedicine, integrated health records, vaccination tracking.

(c) Preventive Health & School Health Education

• Early education in schools: nutrition, hygiene, reproductive health, mental health, and road safety.

• Behavioural change in youth → long-term benefits (MMR, mortality, life expectancy).

• Global examples:

  • Finland (1970s): health curriculum reduced CVD.

  • Japan: compulsory health education improved hygiene & longevity.

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5. Role of Stakeholders

• Government: embed health education in curricula, expand health insurance, strengthen PHCs.

• Parents & Communities: demand comprehensive health education, break cultural stigma.

• Digital platforms: improve outreach & inclusivity.

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6. Way Forward

• India’s improved SDG rank is promising, but only 17% of global SDG targets are on track by 2030.

• For Viksit Bharat 2047, India must:

  • Expand universal health coverage.

  • Strengthen primary health infra + digital health.

  • Institutionalise compulsory health education in schools → long-term behavioural transformation.

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✅ UPSC Takeaway:
India has improved its SDG rank, but SDG 3 (health) remains a bottleneck. Compulsory health education in schools, coupled with universal insurance and strong PHCs, is the trinity of reforms needed to close health gaps and build a healthy Viksit Bharat by 2047.