RBSK Lifestyle Disease Revamp Strengthens Child Health Screening
RBSK Lifestyle Disease Revamp has been introduced by the Union Health Ministry with the launch of revised Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK 2.0) guidelines in New Delhi on 3 May 2026. The updated programme aims to improve child healthcare services by including preventive, promotive, and curative care for children from birth to 18 years under one system.
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The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram was launched in 2013 under the National Health Mission. Earlier, the programme focused on the “4Ds” framework which included defects at birth, diseases, deficiencies, and developmental delays.
Under the RBSK Lifestyle Disease Revamp, the government has expanded the programme to include mental health conditions, behavioural problems, obesity, and early risk factors of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension among children. This step is expected to improve early detection and treatment of health issues in children across India.
Screening Process Under RBSK 2.0
The screening process will continue through Mobile Health Teams. These teams visit Anganwadi centres to screen children aged 0-6 years and schools for older children.
The programme is supported by a nationwide network of 451 District Early Intervention Centres. These centres provide free treatment, referral support, and follow-up care for children identified with health conditions. The revised guidelines also continue universal child health screening at community and school levels.
Digital Features Added in RBSK Lifestyle Disease Revamp
The updated RBSK 2.0 guidelines have introduced several digital features to improve healthcare monitoring. Digital health cards and real-time data systems will now help track children diagnosed with different health conditions.
The digital platform will support monitoring from screening to referral, treatment, and follow-up care. It will also help connect identified children with intervention centres for better healthcare services.
Key Highlights of the Revised Programme
RBSK covers children from birth to 18 years across the country. Since its launch in 2013, more than 160 crore screenings have been conducted under the programme.
The revised guidelines issued on 3 May 2026 now include screening for mental health conditions and lifestyle disease risk factors among children. The move is seen as an important step towards strengthening preventive healthcare and early intervention services in India.
