MoHFW unveils evidence-based national strategy to reduce maternal and newborn deaths through digital innovation, high-risk pregnancy management and targeted interventions across 130 high-focus districts
In a major step towards improving maternal and newborn healthcare, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda has launched the SUMAN Roadmap 2030, a comprehensive national strategy aimed at strengthening maternal and newborn health services and accelerating India’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The Roadmap was unveiled during the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) in the presence of Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel and Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Health Ministers from States and Union Territories, senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and other stakeholders.
Roadmap Builds on India’s Progress in Maternal and Newborn Health
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has achieved significant improvements in maternal and newborn health over the past decade through sustained policy interventions and stronger healthcare delivery systems. However, maternal and newborn mortality continues to remain a challenge in several regions, particularly in high-focus states.
To address these disparities, the Ministry has developed the SUMAN Roadmap 2030, an evidence-based strategy that combines national priorities with region-specific interventions to ensure equitable, high-quality maternal and newborn healthcare across the country.
Comprehensive Life-Cycle Approach Under RMNCHA+N Framework
The SUMAN Roadmap 2030 is anchored under the RMNCHA+N (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition) framework and follows a life-cycle approach covering every stage from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.
The strategy integrates maternal healthcare with child health, adolescent health, family planning and nutrition programmes to ensure seamless and person-centric healthcare delivery throughout the reproductive health continuum.
Strong Focus on High-Risk Pregnancies
A key feature of the Roadmap is the systematic identification, tracking and management of high-risk pregnancies across four critical stages:
- Antenatal care
- Third-trimester care
- Intrapartum care
- Postnatal care
The strategy aims to facilitate early detection of complications, timely referrals and improved clinical outcomes for mothers and newborns.
The Roadmap also addresses critical healthcare challenges, including transportation barriers, access to healthcare in tribal and remote regions, emergency obstetric care, community participation through SUMAN Panchayats, and the impact of climate change on maternal and newborn health.
Targeted Interventions Across 130 High-Focus Districts
To reduce maternal and newborn mortality where the burden remains highest, the Ministry has identified 130 districts across 13 high-focus States for intensive interventions.
The identified states include:
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Haryana
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Madhya Pradesh
- Odisha
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal
For these districts, the Roadmap proposes a comprehensive package of maternal healthcare interventions, including early pregnancy registration, complete antenatal care, quality clinical assessments, adequate post-delivery institutional stay and regular monitoring of pregnant women.
Enhanced Support for Pregnant Women
The SUMAN Package for Pregnant Women includes:
- Early registration and comprehensive antenatal care
- Bi-weekly ASHA home visits during the eighth and ninth months of pregnancy
- Nutrition counselling and birth preparedness
- Promotion of institutional deliveries
- Financial assistance for designated caregivers during the postnatal period
- Referral transport incentives during obstetric emergencies
- Establishment of Birth Waiting Homes
- Expansion of Maternal and Child Health Wings
- Creation of Obstetric High Dependency Units (HDUs) and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in underserved areas
These interventions are intended to improve maternal outcomes, especially in difficult-to-reach regions.
Digital Innovation and Community Participation
For all States and Union Territories, the Roadmap outlines several nationwide reforms aimed at strengthening maternal and newborn healthcare services.
These include:
- Institutionalising pre-pregnancy care through folic acid supplementation
- Expanded nutrition programmes to combat maternal anaemia and undernutrition
- Improved surveillance and management of high-risk pregnancies
- Community engagement through SUMAN Panchayats and Mothers’ Picnic initiatives
- Strengthening Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) and Maternal Near Miss (MNM) reviews
- Wider deployment of Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garments (NASG) for managing obstetric haemorrhage
- Introduction of AI-enabled labour rooms
- Digital monitoring through the JANANI Portal
- Climate-responsive healthcare planning for pregnant women and newborns
- Optimisation of Caesarean section practices
- Integration of the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) for home-based child healthcare from birth to 36 months
Strengthening Healthcare Systems
To ensure effective implementation, the Ministry plans to establish Centres of Excellence for maternal and newborn healthcare, launch a centralised SUMAN Call Centre for grievance redressal, strengthen referral mechanisms between healthcare facilities and enhance digital monitoring through the JANANI Portal.
These measures are expected to improve accountability, service delivery and programme monitoring across the country.
Vision for 2030
The SUMAN Roadmap 2030 aims to achieve several key national health targets by the end of the decade, including:
- Reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to below 70 per 100,000 live births
- Further lowering the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
- Achieving universal coverage of quality maternal and newborn healthcare services across all States and Union Territories
- Eliminating preventable maternal and newborn deaths
The Ministry said the Roadmap represents a transformative strategy that combines scientific evidence, digital innovation, strengthened health systems and active community participation to build a more resilient, equitable and responsive maternal and newborn healthcare ecosystem while advancing India’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
