New Delhi, June 6 : Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Saturday strongly countered Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's criticism of the Narendra Modi government over healthcare and nutrition indicators, asserting that the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) data demonstrates significant improvements in India's public health landscape over the past decade.

In a series of posts on X, Nadda accused the Congress leader of presenting a selective interpretation of the survey findings and said that public health should not be reduced to political rhetoric.

â??Shri Kharge jiâ??s half-knowledge is dangerous. Public health is too important to be reduced to political rhetoric. Selective reading may serve politics, but facts serve the nation,â?? Nadda said.

The Union Minister argued that NFHS-6 data highlights substantial progress in maternal healthcare under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Comparing the latest survey with NFHS-3 conducted in 2005-06, Nadda pointed to a rise in first-trimester antenatal registration from 43.9 per cent to 76.2 per cent, institutional deliveries from 38.7 per cent to 90.6 per cent, and births attended by skilled health personnel from 46.6 per cent to 91.3 per cent.

â??These are not mere statistics. They represent millions of mothers receiving timely care, safer deliveries and better health outcomes. The real story of Indiaâ??s healthcare journey is one of progress, not pessimism,â?? he said.

Nadda also highlighted improvements in several other health indicators. According to him, full immunisation coverage has increased to 87.1 per cent, health insurance coverage has risen from 4.9 per cent to 60.2 per cent, and the use of hygienic menstrual protection has reached 79.2 per cent.

He further noted that child stunting has declined from 48 per cent to 29.3 per cent compared to the NFHS-3 period. The Minister said these gains reflected sustained investments in healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, financial inclusion and last-mile service delivery.

He contrasted the latest figures with what he described as poor outcomes during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance years, alleging that decades of policy failures had left India with weak healthcare access and poor health indicators.

Nadda's remarks came in response to Kharge's post on X on Thursday, in which the Congress president accused the BJP-led government of concealing crucial health data and failing women and children.

Kharge claimed that one in five children suffers from acute malnutrition, one-third of children are underweight, and over 84 per cent of children aged six to 23 months do not receive adequate nutrition. He also cited NFHS-5 figures showing that 57 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 are anaemic and one in five women is undernourished.

Nadda, however, maintained that NFHS-6 reflects measurable improvements in healthcare access, maternal and child health services and social protection. â??Facts matter. Outcomes matter. NFHS-6 speaks for itself,â?? the Union Minister said.

While acknowledging that challenges remain, Nadda said denying progress would undermine the efforts of frontline health workers and beneficiaries across the country.

/IANS