India's achievements in the areas of women's health and development have fallen short of the goals proposed for 2000, a dismal performance reflected in the continuing high infant and maternal mortality rates, under -nutrition, increase in depression, suicides, sexual violence and worsening inverse sex ratio, says a new report.
According to the national profile on women, health and development, immunisation for pregnant women is only 79 per cent against 100 per cent envisaged for 2000 in the national health policy formulated by the government in 1983.
Only 76 per cent of pregnant women have been able to receive anti-natal care against 100 per cent evisaged while delivery by trained personnel is a shocking 13 per cent as against the goal of 100 per cent, says the 356-page report brought out by the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) in collaboration with WHO.

Based on these low achievements, it says the goals for the ninth plan have been revised to slightly lower levels. The goals now fixed for the end of the ninth plan are immunisation for 95 per cent of pregnant women, ante-natal care for 90 per cent, delivery by trained personnel for 45 per cent and institutional deliveries for 35 per cent.
“The sex ratio has declined from 972 in 1901 to 927 per 1000 males in 1991. The worsening of male/female mortality ratio for children in the age group 0-4 in a number of states and excess mortality among women in the reproductive age group highlight the need for taking urgent steps on a priority basis to improve the health status of women in the country,” it observes. The health needs of females vary according to their biological needs and the report divides the female population of 407.8 million (as per the 1991 census) into five distinct groups having specific requirements.
Bureau Report