Approach   

Introduction: Highlight the World Economic Forum’s report and India’s poor performance in it. 

Body: State the policy measures India has implemented for improving women’s health. This must be followed by stating policy suggestions to improve women’s health in India.

Conclusion: Here we can conclude by stating the importance of women’s health w.r.t. overall development of India. 

Answer: World Economic Forum released the ‘Global Gender Gap Index, 2022’ which ranks India 135^th amongst 146 countries. However, India is ranked last i.e., 146^th when it comes to the health and survival component of the index. This poses serious questions on Indian women healthcare programmes efficacy.   

Policy Measures by Government to Improve Women’s Health:

Institutional Delivery Scheme

• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK): The JSSK entitles pregnant women and newborns to free delivery, including cesarean section, free transportation, diagnostics, drugs, other consumables, diet, and blood.
• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): It is a demand-driven, conditional cash transfer scheme that aims to improve institutional delivery.

Pregnant Women and New-born Health

• Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA): On the 9th day of each month, PMSMA provides pregnant women with a scheduled, cost-free, and high-quality antenatal check-up by a Specialist/Medical Officer.
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): Under PMMVY, a cash incentive of ` 5000/- is provided directly to the Bank / Post Office Account of Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM) for first living child.

Women Health and Nutrition

• Initiatives to tackle Anaemia in Pregnant women: The government offers financial and technical support to States/UTs under the National Health Mission (NHM) for the implementation of the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy.
• Scheme for Adolescent Girls: It primarily aims at breaking the intergenerational life-cycle of nutritional and gender disadvantage and providing a supportive environment for self-development

Policy Measures to be Adopted:

• Synergy between the central and state policies: The synergy between the central and state policies will bring changes in women's healthcare.
• For example, Mahatari Jatan Yojana in Chhattisgarh aims at reducing malnutrition among pregnant women, similarly, National Nutrition Mission aims at reducing malnutrition amongst women and new-born.
• Wages of Health Workers: The health workers at local level must be properly renumerated for their tireless service.
• For instance, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers across the country do not have fixed wages and a fixed wage component within their remuneration is needed.
• Need for food fortification: To solve the problem of anaemia among women, the government needs to ensure nutritional aspects of provided foodgrains, through approaches like food fortification.
• Mental health of women: Creating awareness and providing possible remedies to help de-stigmatize mental health issues would help improve women health.

Though India has multiple schemes both at states and central level which covers major aspects of women’s health. However, the poor pace of progress does poses questions and thus a mission mode functioning is required to effectively address women's health issues.