NHM Collapse: Presidential Petitions Ignored, Rural Healthcare in Crisis.

National Health Mission is collapsing: Presidential Petitions Ignored

• The Scandal Sinking India’s National Health Mission

• Sprouts SIT Exposes NHM’s Deadly Negligence in Rural India

• Ambulance Scams and Mass Resignations

Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098

The National Health Mission is collapsing, as exposed by Sprouts News SIT. Over 20 Presidential Petitions are ignored, RTI replies show evasion, and rural healthcare fails. With India’s worst child and maternal mortality rates in MP, and ambulance scams siphoning funds, NHM is neglecting its core life-saving mandate. Urgent reform is needed.

NHM in Crisis: Sprouts SIT Exposes Systemic Neglect and Corruption in Rural Healthcare

The National Health Mission (NHM), once hailed as a cornerstone of India’s rural healthcare system, is teetering on the brink of collapse. A special investigation by the Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) reveals a pattern of defiance, evasion, and administrative failure. From ignored constitutional petitions to evasive RTI replies, the NHM’s dysfunction is costing lives.

Click Here To Download the News Attachment

Presidential Petitions Ignored: A Defiance of Constitutional Oversight

Since August 2025, over 20 Presidential Petitions have challenged NHM Madhya Pradesh’s exclusion of MS General Surgery specialists from recruitment. These petitions, forwarded by the President’s Secretariat to the Ministry of Health, DARPG, and the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, cited violations of Articles 14, 16(1), and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. No corrective action has been taken.

This inaction represents a blatant disregard for constitutional oversight. Rural hospitals remain without surgeons, and qualified doctors are denied employment. The Sprouts News SIT highlights this as a critical failure in governance.

RTI Replies Reveal Bureaucratic Evasion and Accountability Gaps

An RTI filed on 21 August 2025 sought clarity on NHM’s recruitment policy, legality, vacancies, and healthcare impact. The reply, signed by CPIO Ashutosh K. Agrawal, stated: “The information is not available in NHM-II Section. The RTI is being transferred under Section 6(3).”

Every query was dismissed or transferred, exposing a culture of bureaucratic evasion. The Sprouts News SIT condemns this as a “shell game” that shields officials from accountability while healthcare infrastructure crumbles.

Human Cost: Rural Healthcare Pushed to the Brink

Ground reports from the Sprouts News SIT reveal devastating outcomes: District Hospitals and CHCs lack surgical teams, trauma cases go untreated, and pregnant women face life-threatening delays. Villagers often travel hundreds of kilometers for basic care, with fatal consequences.

Madhya Pradesh’s refusal to recruit surgeons has exacerbated a public health emergency. The state records India’s highest neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality rates, alongside a maternal mortality ratio of 173 per 100,000 live births.

Beyond Madhya Pradesh: Ambulance Scams and Mass Resignations

The crisis extends beyond one state. In Madhya Pradesh, an ambulance scam involved fake bills for up to 12,000 km/month, siphoning critical funds. In Chhattisgarh, 16,000 NHM workers struck work, with nearly 15,000 resigning after leaders were sacked, crippling rural services.

These incidents, uncovered by the Sprouts News SIT, reflect systemic corruption and operational collapse. Without urgent intervention, NHM’s promise of equitable healthcare remains unfulfilled.

Also Read: Industrial Land Scam: Maharashtra Suspends Panvel Tehsildar Over 112 Acres.

Urgent Reforms Needed to Save NHM

The NHM is trapped in a cycle of negligence and corruption. Key failures include ignored petitions, evasive RTIs, and worsening health outcomes. The Sprouts News SIT calls for urgent reforms: transparency in recruitment, accountability for officials, and immediate steps to address rural healthcare gaps.

Without action, NHM will symbolize governance failure, with rural citizens paying the ultimate price.