Which of the following is NOT an objective of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)?

MP NHM CHO-2024 (Shift-2)

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: MP NHM CHO-2024 (Shift-2)

Explanation

The core principle of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is to provide accessible, affordable, and accountable healthcare to rural populations.
The phrase 'at high costs' directly contradicts the mission's fundamental goal of reducing out-of-pocket expenditure and making healthcare services financially manageable for everyone.
Government-led public health initiatives like NRHM are specifically designed to be low-cost or free to ensure universal access, especially for vulnerable sections of society.

Option B: This is a core objective of NRHM. The mission seeks to strengthen and integrate services at the primary level (Sub-centres, PHCs, and CHCs) to provide comprehensive care.
Option C: This is a primary and highly prioritized goal of NRHM. Initiatives like Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) were launched under NRHM specifically to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
Option D: This is an explicit objective. NRHM integrated various national disease control programs to create a unified front against both communicable diseases (like TB, Malaria) and emerging non-communicable diseases (like diabetes, hypertension) at the rural level.

Visual 1: Infographic: A visual summary of the key goals of the National Health Mission (NHM), including IMR/MMR reduction targets, health system strengthening, and disease control.
Visual 2: Flowchart: A diagram illustrating the healthcare delivery structure under NRHM, showing the roles and linkages between ASHA, Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Objectives of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are the backbone of NRHM implementation, serving in PHCs and CHCs, conducting immunization sessions, providing maternal and child health services, and managing disease control programs at the grassroots level.
Understanding NRHM's objectives helps nurses align their practice with national health goals, focusing on preventive, promotive, and curative care for the rural population.
What if? If a nurse is posted in a Sub-Centre, their primary role under NRHM would involve working closely with the ASHA, conducting Village Health and Nutrition Days (VHNDs), providing basic antenatal care, and ensuring immunization coverage, rather than performing complex surgeries.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the negative keyword 'NOT' in the question. This signals that three of the options are true objectives of NRHM, and your task is to find the one that is false.
Read the core subject of the question, which is the 'objective of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)'.
Evaluate each option based on the fundamental principles of public health. Public health programs initiated by governments are almost always aimed at providing affordable and accessible services.
Analyze Option A: 'Providing...services at high costs'. This immediately raises a red flag as it contradicts the principle of affordability in public health.
Briefly verify the other options (B, C, D). Providing primary care, reducing maternal/child mortality, and controlling diseases are all standard, expected goals for a national health mission.
Conclude that the option containing 'at high costs' is the one that does not fit and is, therefore, the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Objectives of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
Stem keywords: National Rural Health Mission, NRHM, objective
Lead-in keywords: NOT
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to identify the option that is NOT an objective of the NRHM.

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