The Government of India has launched the SUMAN Roadmap 2030, a comprehensive national strategy designed to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare while accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The roadmap focuses on reducing preventable maternal and infant deaths through evidence-based interventions, stronger healthcare systems, and improved access to quality care across the country.
The initiative recognizes that although India has made significant progress in maternal health over the past decade, several regions continue to face challenges that require targeted and localized solutions.
Why the SUMAN Roadmap Matters
Maternal and newborn health remains a key public health priority. Complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period continue to contribute to preventable deaths, particularly in underserved and high-burden regions.
The SUMAN Roadmap 2030 aims to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, while also lowering the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). The long-term vision is to achieve zero preventable maternal and newborn deaths across the country.
A Life Cycle Approach to Maternal Care
One of the defining features of the roadmap is its life cycle approach to maternal and newborn healthcare.
Instead of focusing only on childbirth, the framework integrates care throughout every stage of the maternal journey, including:
- Pre-pregnancy care
- Antenatal care
- Childbirth and emergency obstetric care
- Postnatal care
- Newborn care
The roadmap also aligns maternal healthcare with child health, adolescent health, nutrition, and family planning under the RMNCHA+N framework, ensuring comprehensive and continuous care for mothers and babies.
Special Focus on High-Risk Pregnancies
A major component of the strategy is the early identification and management of high-risk pregnancies.
The roadmap introduces a structured four-stage framework covering antenatal care, third trimester monitoring, intrapartum care, and postnatal follow-up. This approach enables healthcare providers to identify complications early and provide timely medical intervention, improving outcomes for both mothers and newborns.
Targeted Support for High-Burden Regions
Recognizing that maternal health challenges vary across the country, the roadmap introduces focused interventions in 130 districts across 13 high-focus states, including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
These districts will receive customized strategies based on local healthcare needs, helping ensure that resources are directed where they are needed most.
Strengthening Healthcare Systems
The SUMAN Roadmap goes beyond clinical care by introducing several measures to improve healthcare delivery and system efficiency.
The framework includes plans for:
- Centres of Excellence for maternal and newborn healthcare
- Stronger referral systems between healthcare facilities
- Digital monitoring through the JANANI Portal
- A centralized SUMAN Call Centre for grievance redressal
- Improved emergency obstetric care
These initiatives aim to enhance service quality while ensuring timely access to critical maternal healthcare services.
Community Participation Takes Center Stage
The roadmap emphasizes that improving maternal health requires active community involvement alongside strong healthcare services.
Initiatives such as SUMAN Panchayats are expected to promote institutional deliveries, universal antenatal care, full immunization, and greater local accountability. Community participation will also help improve awareness about pregnancy care, newborn health, and early identification of complications.
Addressing Emerging Healthcare Challenges
The roadmap incorporates lessons learned from previous maternal health programs while also addressing emerging public health concerns.
Special attention has been given to improving healthcare access in tribal and remote areas, strengthening transportation and referral systems, enhancing emergency obstetric care, and preparing for the growing impact of climate change on maternal and newborn health. These evidence-based interventions are designed to make healthcare services more resilient and equitable.
Supporting India’s Sustainable Development Goals
The SUMAN Roadmap 2030 aligns closely with India’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to maternal and child health.
Over the years, India has significantly reduced maternal mortality through expanded institutional deliveries, improved antenatal care, and stronger public health programs. The new roadmap builds upon these achievements by introducing more targeted strategies and modern healthcare innovations to accelerate progress over the next decade.
