Tamil Nadu has recorded gains in institutional births, antenatal care and vaccination coverage according to the National Family Health Survey for 2023-2024, though nutrition indicators remain mixed.
The state reported 99.7 percent of births occurring in health facilities and 87.6 percent of mothers receiving at least four antenatal visits. Full vaccination among children aged 12 to 23 months reached 90 percent, while coverage of the rotavirus vaccine rose to 87.4 percent from 66.4 percent in the previous survey.
Challenges continue in early nutrition. Only 54.8 percent of children under three were breastfed within one hour of birth and 55.6 percent of infants under six months received exclusive breastfeeding. Adequate diet for children aged six to 23 months stood at 20.6 percent.
Stunting among children under five fell to 20.7 percent from 25 percent, while wasting rose slightly to 17.4 percent. The total fertility rate declined to 1.7 children per woman.
Former public health director K. Kolandasamy called for stronger anganwadi centres and 100 percent immunisation coverage to address remaining gaps in nutrition and prevent diseases such as measles.