Content:

1. World Health Day 2025
2. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025: An overview of the Act vs Bill

World Health Day 2025

Theme: “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures”
Date: 7th April 2025
Focus: Maternal and newborn health

Relevance : GS 2(Health)

Government Vision

• Reaffirmed commitment to quality and accessible healthcare.
• Focus on maternal & child health, digital health, wellness, disease elimination, and mental health.

Key Achievements in Maternal & Child Health

• Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR):
  ↓ from 130 (2014–16) to 97 (2018–20)
  ⇒ 83% reduction since 1990 (vs global 42%)

• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR):
  ↓ from 39 (2014) to 28 (2020)

• Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR):
  ↓ from 26 (2014) to 20 (2020)

• Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR):
  ↓ from 45 (2014) to 32 (2020)

Major Maternal & Child Health Interventions

• Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR):: Tracks maternal deaths & implements corrective action.
• Mother and Child Protection (MCP)  Card & Safe Motherhood Booklet: Info on pregnancy health & schemes.
• Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Portal: Digital tracking of pregnant women & newborns.
• Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB): Testing & prevention in pregnant women & teens.
• Birth Waiting Homes: In remote/tribal areas for safe deliveries.
• Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Day (VHSND) & Outreach Camps: Grassroots delivery of maternal services.

Access to Quality Health Services

• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs):
  1.76 lakh centers;
  107.1 cr BP & 94.5 cr diabetes screenings;
  5.06 cr wellness sessions (incl. yoga).
• NQAS-Certified Facilities:
  17,000+ public health institutions.

Digital Health Initiatives

• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission  (ABDM):
  • Unified digital health ecosystem
  • 76 cr Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) accounts
  • 5.95 lakh+ verified professionals
  • 3.86 lakh+ verified facilities
  • 52 cr+ linked health records

• U-WIN:
  • Digital platform that streamlines and tracks immunization for pregnant women and children (0–16 years)
  • 7.90 cr beneficiaries
  • 1.32 cr sessions, 29.22 cr doses

• eSanjeevani:(India’s National Telemedicine Service)
  • 36 cr+ teleconsultations
  • 130+ specialities, 17,051 hubs, 1.3 lakh spokes

Disease Elimination & Control

• Malaria:
  • ↓ 69% cases, ↓ 68% deaths (2017–2023)
  • Exited WHO’s High Burden to High Impact  (HBHI) group in 2024
• Trachoma: Eliminated in 2024 (WHO-certified)
• Measles-Rubella:
  • 50 districts measles-free, 226 rubella-free (2024)
• TB (NTEP):
  • ↓ from 237 to 195 cases/lakh (2015–2023)
  • TB deaths ↓ from 28 to 22/lakh
  • Missing cases ↓ 83%
  • 2.5 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras supporting 15 lakh patients
• Kala-azar: Eliminated in Oct 2024 in all endemic blocks

Affordable Healthcare

• AB-PMJAY:
  • 55 cr beneficiaries
  • ₹5 lakh/family insurance
  • 40 cr Ayushman cards
  • 8.5 cr+ hospital admissions
  • 31,846 empanelled hospitals (17,434 govt, 14,412 pvt)
  • ASHA/Anganwadi workers included
  • 25 lakh+ Ayushman Vay Vandana Cards issued

Mental Health: Tele-MANAS

• 53 cells across 36 States/UTs
• 20+ lakh calls handled
• ₹230+ cr allocated (last 3 years)
• 440+ Rehabilitation/Halfway Homes (as of Apr 2025)

Conclusion

India’s efforts in maternal health, disease elimination, digital health, and inclusive access reflect its push toward Universal Health Coverage and health equity — aligned with SDG 3 and the 2030 agenda.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025: An overview of the Act vs Bill

Introduction

• The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 updates the Waqf Act, 1995 to improve efficiency, reduce disputes, and modernize waqf property management.
• The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025 seeks to repeal the outdated Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923 to eliminate redundancy and legal confusion.

Relevance : GS 2(Polity , Constitution , Governance)

Major Issues in Existing Framework

• Irrevocability of Waqf: The principle “once a waqf, always a waqf” has caused complex legal disputes (e.g., Bet Dwarka).

• Legal Disputes & Mismanagement:
  • Illegal occupation of Waqf land.
  • Delays in surveys and property registration.
  • Poor governance and large-scale litigations.

• No Judicial Oversight:
  • Tribunal decisions are final, with minimal judicial appeal.
  • Reduces accountability and legal recourse.

• Incomplete Surveys:
  • Surveys pending or not started in several states (e.g., Gujarat, UP, Uttarakhand).
  • Poor coordination with Revenue Departments.

• Misuse of Section 40:
  • Private properties wrongly declared as waqf.
  • Only 8 out of 30 States/UTs provided data; 515 such properties identified.

• Constitutional Validity Questioned:
  • Law applies only to Muslims, with no equivalent for other communities.
  • PIL filed in Delhi HC questioning Article 14 violation.

Key Provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Impact of Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025

• Removes the outdated 1923 Act, streamlining legal framework.
• Eliminates duplication/confusion with the Waqf Act, 1995.
• Ensures one uniform law governing all waqf properties in India.
• Improves legal clarity, transparency, and administrative efficiency.

Conclusion

• The 2025 reforms modernize waqf governance with better legal recourse, inclusivity, and government oversight.
• Enhances transparency by improving surveys, registration, and accountability.
• Introduces progressive provisions like women representation, non-Muslim inclusion, and removal of misuse-prone clauses.
• Marks a significant shift towards a balanced, secular, and efficient Waqf management system.