Kerala has been identified as the state with the best performance in the health sector for the Covid year 2020–21 as per the most recent report by NITI Aayog.

The state achieved the top spot among the 19 "larger states" in the annual health index for 2020–21. Telangana and Tamil Nadu took second and third place, respectively. On the other hand, the bottom three states on the list are Madhya Pradesh (17), Uttar Pradesh (18), and Bihar (19). Notably, Kerala also held the top spot in the report from the previous year.

Tripura took first place among the smaller states, followed by Sikkim and Goa in second and third, respectively. The bottom three states on the list are Manipur (eighth), Nagaland (seventh), and Arunachal Pradesh (sixth). Compared to prior years, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Odisha showed increased performance. The Union Territories list was headed by Lakshadweep, with Delhi at the bottom.

The newborn mortality rate, the gender ratio at birth, and vaccination coverage are only a few of the 24 indicators used to compute the health index. Since 2017, NITI Aayog has used this methodology to evaluate the health index, considering overall performance and improvement over time. The World Bank and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare worked together to create the index.

(Source:https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-retains-top-position-in-health-index-of-niti-ayog-for-2020-21-1.8592039)