Sikkim’s Soreng ranks No. 1 nationally in Health and Nutrition under NITI Aayog programme

Soreng district of Sikkim has secured the top position nationally in the Health and Nutrition theme under NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) for the June 2026 quarter, according to the Champions of Change Dashboard.

Soreng recorded a Health and Nutrition score of 78.7, securing the first position among aspirational districts in the theme. The district also improved its overall Composite Score from 49.5 in January 2026 to 55.5 in June, securing an overall third Delta Rank.

The district administration attributed the performance to focused monitoring, inter-departmental coordination and efforts to achieve saturation of key health and nutrition indicators, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

Under the Health and Nutrition theme, the programme monitors indicators covering antenatal care, institutional deliveries, newborn care, immunisation, tuberculosis detection and treatment, health infrastructure, referral services and nutrition interventions.

Soreng has reported 100 per cent antenatal care registration, 99 per cent institutional deliveries and 99 per cent immunisation coverage among children below 15 years, according to the district administration.

The district has also recorded a TB treatment success rate of 97 per cent, with 81 of 83 patients successfully completing treatment under the latest reported figures.

As part of the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, the district conducted 146 Ayushman Arogya Shivirs over nine months and screened 7,636 people. Screening was extended beyond health facilities to offices, hydropower construction sites, orphanages, old-age homes and monasteries.

The administration said screening for non-communicable diseases has also been strengthened, with more than 85 per cent of the target population screened for hypertension and diabetes.

Soreng has additionally taken mental healthcare to the community through its ‘Hello Mann’ initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Mental Health Action Trust, Kerala. The initiative provides weekly clinics at primary health centres and home visits for patients requiring additional support.

The programme has registered 112 patients and recorded 126 patient contacts, including 13 camp counselling contacts, while 91 patients are currently under active treatment, according to the district administration.

District Collector Dhiraj Subedi said the achievement was the result of collective efforts by government departments, frontline health workers, local institutions and communities.

The administration said the Health and Nutrition ranking reflected sustained district-level leadership and systematic monitoring, while acknowledging the support and technical guidance provided by NITI Aayog.

The district administration said it would focus on closing remaining gaps and sustaining performance across all five thematic areas of the Aspirational Districts Programme.

The achievement marks a significant milestone in Soreng’s efforts to improve measurable health and nutrition outcomes and strengthen last-mile delivery of government services.