Kohima: Recent data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) reveals shifting health trends in Nagaland, marked by a rise in caesarean section deliveries and increased substance use. While the state remains a dry zone under the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, alcohol consumption among residents continues to surpass the national average.
Caesarean deliveries in the state nearly doubled over the past five years, climbing to 9.9 percent from 5.2 percent in the previous survey. Although this overall rate remains below the national average of 21.5 percent, private healthcare facilities show a different trend. Births by caesarean section in these private settings reached 32.5 percent, a figure substantially higher than the 10 to 15 percent benchmark recommended by the World Health Organisation. Public facilities reported a rate of 9.4 percent, which stays within the recommended range.
Regarding substance use, the survey indicates that 26.9 percent of men and 1.6 percent of women in the state report consuming alcohol, compared to the national figures of 18.9 percent and 1.1 percent respectively. These findings confirm a rise in consumption since the NFHS-5 report, where usage stood at 23.9 percent for men and 0.9 percent for women. Tobacco use follows a similar trajectory, with usage climbing to 51.2 percent among men and 17.4 percent among women, figures that significantly exceed national averages.
The survey was conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare alongside the International Institute for Population Sciences, covering over 11,000 households in Nagaland between August 2023 and March 2024. The data also highlights that institutional birth rates in the state, at 62.2 percent, fall well below the national average of 88.6 percent. Researchers noted that the state's lower overall C-section rate appears linked to these lower levels of institutional delivery and skilled birth attendance. The report clarifies, "However, rates substantially above or below this range do not necessarily translate into better maternal or neonatal outcomes."
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