Newborn and Child Health Services in Urban India: Challenges and the Way Forward

This article systematically reviewed urban health services for newborns and children using data from various published research work, databases, government portals and relevant websites. The available evidence suggests that the delivery of optimal child healthcare services in urban India remains challenging due to fragmented and weak public healthcare systems, limited capacity of administration for optimal planning, and heterogeneous accessibility for quality health care, compounded by growing pockets of poverty and inappropriate health-seeking behavior. Although newborn and child health continued to be a focus, there is a need for bringing specificity in the work and on areas such as brain development in early years, early childhood development, health of 6–17 years of age, tackling the rising challenge of obesity in children and adolescents. The school-based and community-supported interventions need to be expanded in these areas. The ongoing primary healthcare reforms should be optimally harmonized for improving urban health. Contextual operational research, partnering with professional bodies, building capacities, and monitoring mechanisms are required to achieve the desired outcomes.