Lessons in Health System Strengthening in India Community Action for Health (CAH) functions as a key component under the National Health Mission (NHM), placing people at the center of the process of ensuring that the health needs and rights of the community are being fulfilled. The right to health serves as a cornerstone of social justice, encapsulating the right of people everywhere to have access to quality health services, good nutrition, education and freedom from discrimination.This year’s World Health Day also emphasized the importance of the right to health, with the theme ‘My Health, My Right’. A key method to strengthen not just the right to health but also the systems supporting health services is to ensure strong community engagement in the implementation of health-related services and policies. Engaging communities is widely believed to have a positive impact on the effectiveness of health programmes, enhancing social capital, community empowerment and an improved health status with reduced inequalities. Read More - https://p4i.net/empowering-communities/

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The Climate Crisis Will Certainly Lead to a Health Crisis ‘Why aren’t people terrified? What do we have to say? What do we have to do?’ – This dialogue, a desperate plea for help, is from the recent movie Don’t Look Up that released in 2021. A satirical take on the climate crisis, an exasperated astronomer, one of the main characters, asks this question while trying to get the attention of the media and government, as a comet, hurtling through space with earth in its path, threatens to end all life in a matter of months. The fast approaching comet is an allegory for climate change, leading the astronomers to desperately attempt to tackle the government, political, celebrity, and media indifference to the impending crisis, much like the struggle and frustration of climate scientists today. Learn More - https://p4i.net/dont-ignore-the-alarm-bells-climate-change-is-real/

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You started your journey as a writer and then co-founded your NGO ‘Sahiyo’ for eliminating Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in the country. What inspired you to start Sahiyo? It will be great if you could also elaborate on the status of the practice currently in India. I was writing a film on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and found that there wasn’t enough information on this out there at that time. A few years prior to that, I was working as a copywriter in India, when I came across a story on FGM/C in Africa, and realised it was similar to what was being practiced in my own country, especially within the Bohra community. I then came across Aarefa Johari’s (Sahiyo’s co-founder) article, which encouraged me to delve deeper into this issue and that’s when we met. Our meeting made me realise that there are so many women who have been affected by this, including the ones in my family and no one was really doing anything about it on the ground. There was total silence around the issue, more so because it was a social norm with deeply rooted in religious beliefs. That’s when Aarefa, I, and 3 other women got together and founded Sahiyo in 2015. Learn More - https://p4i.net/in-conversation-with-insia-dariwala-on-female-genital-mutilation-cutting-fgm-c-cyber-safety-and-child-sexual-abuse-in-india/

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India’s Water Crisis: Have We Crossed the Point of No Return? India has been in a serious water crisis for the past 20 years. Per capita availability has declined to about 1,400 cubic meters annually and will decline further as urban and industrial growth accelerates. The issues are well known, but in their thematic and administrative silos. Will India’s water woes become worse? Most research seems to say Yes. By some estimates, the demand for water in India in 2030 will outstrip supply by almost 100%. While there are numerous schemes sponsored by the Central, State, and local government to either augment water supply, conserve water, recharge groundwater, rejuvenate water bodies, or invest in rainwater harvesting. All of them miss one key point: Efficiency. Read More About India’s Water Crisis - https://p4i.net/indias-water-conundrum/

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A Global Mission to the Edge of Eradication of Polio The pursuit of polio eradication in India stands as a landmark chapter in the nation’s public health history, marked by unprecedented efforts and adaptability. In my years at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, I faced challenges that highlighted the complexity of the mission. Polio eradication was a critical national health initiative aligning with global efforts led by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Eradicating the disease had been a long-standing global endeavour, and India was committed to achieving a polio-free status. My journey working towards polio eradication in India was especially challenging in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh around 2010. While Uttar Pradesh exhibited relatively promising progress, Bihar, particularly the Koshi region, presented unique challenges. Despite commendable progress in other parts of the country, Koshi posed distinctive challenges, calling for a tailored strategy to ensure comprehensive immunization coverage. This area, marked by inaccessibility and a transient population, became the final frontier in our relentless battle against polio. Learn More - https://p4i.net/navigating-the-final-frontier/

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In the last century, India’s agricultural sector has undergone a significant transformation driven by consumption-driven economics and the intensive agriculture production system. The major river basins in northern and western India became role models, showcasing the successful implementation of the Green Revolution. Public and private initiatives from the 1960s onwards have shaped and reinforced this agricultural pathway. However, amid this agricultural revolution, one critical aspect has been largely overlooked: the significant contribution of women to agriculture in rural India. According to the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-2022, 78% of India’s employed women work in agriculture, with the sector having the highest estimated female labour force participation at 62.9%. The Economic Survey 2017-18 highlights that growing rural-to-urban migration by men has intensified the feminization of the agriculture sector, increasing the involvement of number of women in various activities including planting, harvesting, and managing crops and livestock. Despite their substantial involvement, rural women are often seen as labourers on their own farms rather than recognized as farmers. Their contributions often go unrecognized and unacknowledged, leaving them marginalized and under-resourced.​ Learn More - https://p4i.net/invisible-farmers-how-women-are-facing-the-brunt-of-market-climate-and-social-norms/

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Building Gender-Responsive Health Care Systems in India A health care system is only as strong as the people who run it. Yet, for many female health care professionals, unsafe workplaces, inadequate facilities, and systemic barriers make it harder to provide quality care. A strong health care system must be safe, inclusive, and accessible for all. Gender-responsive infrastructure plays a critical role in ensuring that patients receive dignified care and that health care professionals work in secure environments. Yet, in many health care settings across India, gender disparities in infrastructure continue to create barriers for both those seeking care and those providing it. Without a deliberate shift toward health care infrastructure that is gender equitable and responsive, health care spaces will continue to perpetuate inequities rather than bridging them. Learn More - https://p4i.net/bridging-the-gap/

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Why We Need to Focus on Mental Health in India While every precious life lost through suicide is one too many, it represents only the tip of the mental health iceberg in the country, particularly among young adults. Women tend to suffer more. Across the world, the prevalence of some mental health disorders is consistently higher among women as compared to men. The pandemic has further exacerbated the problem. Globally, it might have increased the prevalence of depression by 28 per cent and anxiety by 26 per cent in just one year between 2020 and 2021, according to a study published in Lancet. Again, the large increases have been noted among younger age groups, stemming from uncertainty and fear about the virus, financial and job losses, grief, increased childcare burdens, in addition to school closures and social isolation. Increased use of certain kinds of social media is also exacerbating stress and mental ill health for young people. Social media detracts from face-to-face relationships, which are healthier, and reduces investment in meaningful activities. More importantly, it erodes self-esteem through unfavourable social comparison. Learn More - https://p4i.net/why-we-need-to-focus-on-mental-health/

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Mission Indradhanush: A game changer for immunisation in India Immunization, a cornerstone of public health, stands as a formidable shield against infectious diseases. Beyond individual protection, widespread immunization contributes to community immunity, curtailing the spread of diseases, and safeguarding vulnerable populations. In the dynamic realm of public service and governmental initiatives, my tenure in the Government of India was marked by a compelling dual challenge that demanded immediate and strategic attention. The mission at hand was two-fold: to expand access to vaccines for children across the vast expanse of our nation and to craft a comprehensive sustainable strategy for the effective delivery of these vaccines to every corner of our diverse landscape. Learn More - https://p4i.net/mission-indradhanush/

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India’s Water Conundrum: Beyond the Tipping Point? India has been in a serious water crisis for the past 20 years. Per capita availability has declined to about 1,400 cubic meters annually and will decline further as urban and industrial growth accelerates. The issues are well known, but in their thematic and administrative silos. Will India’s water woes become worse? Most research seems to say Yes. By some estimates, the demand for water in India in 2030 will outstrip supply by almost 100%. While there are numerous schemes sponsored by the Central, State, and local government to either augment water supply, conserve water, recharge groundwater, rejuvenate water bodies, or invest in rainwater harvesting. All of them miss one key point: Efficiency. Read More About Water Crisis in India - https://p4i.net/indias-water-conundrum/

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Why Do We Need to Focus on Mental Health? We need an urgent and well-resourced ‘whole-of-society’ approach to protecting, promoting and caring for the mental health of our people. Every other day, we wake up to a disturbing headline of a young person having left us by committing suicide. Suicides rates in India are amongst the highest when compared to other countries at the same socio-economic level. According to WHO, India’s suicide rate in 2019, at 12.9/1,00,000, was higher than the regional average of 10.2 and the global average of 9.0. Suicide has become the leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 in India. While every precious life lost through suicide is one too many, it represents only the tip of the mental health iceberg in the country, particularly among young adults. Women tend to suffer more. Across the world, the prevalence of some mental health disorders is consistently higher among women as compared to men. Mental Health in India - https://p4i.net/why-we-need-to-focus-on-mental-health/

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Access to Safe Abortion Is a Basic Human Right “The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her well-being and dignity. When government controls that decision for her, she is being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.” – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg Today is International Safe Abortion Day – the day when individuals, organizations and governments worldwide mobilise to make their demands heard on the need to defend and protect a person’s right to safe and legal abortion; and ensure reproductive justice. The theme for this year is abortion in uncertain times. Learn More - https://p4i.net/access-to-safe-abortion-is-a-basic-human-right/

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Invisible Farmers: How Women Are Facing the Brunt of Market, Climate, and Social Norms In the last century, India’s agricultural sector has undergone a significant transformation driven by consumption-driven economics and the intensive agriculture production system. The major river basins in northern and western India became role models, showcasing the successful implementation of the Green Revolution. Public and private initiatives from the 1960s onwards have shaped and reinforced this agricultural pathway. However, amid this agricultural revolution, one critical aspect has been largely overlooked: the significant contribution of women to agriculture in rural India. According to the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-2022, 78% of India’s employed women work in agriculture, with the sector having the highest estimated female labour force participation at 62.9%. The Economic Survey 2017-18 highlights that growing rural-to-urban migration by men has intensified the feminization of the agriculture sector, increasing the involvement of number of women in various activities including planting, harvesting, and managing crops and livestock. Despite their substantial involvement, rural women are often seen as labourers on their own farms rather than recognized as farmers. Their contributions often go unrecognized and unacknowledged, leaving them marginalized and under-resourced.​ Learn More - https://p4i.net/invisible-farmers-how-women-are-facing-the-brunt-of-market-climate-and-social-norms/

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Mission Indradhanush: a Game Changer for Immunisation in India Immunization, a cornerstone of public health, stands as a formidable shield against infectious diseases. Beyond individual protection, widespread immunization contributes to community immunity, curtailing the spread of diseases, and safeguarding vulnerable populations. In the dynamic realm of public service and governmental initiatives, my tenure in the Government of India was marked by a compelling dual challenge that demanded immediate and strategic attention. The mission at hand was two-fold: to expand access to vaccines for children across the vast expanse of our nation and to craft a comprehensive sustainable strategy for the effective delivery of these vaccines to every corner of our diverse landscape. Learn More - https://p4i.net/mission-indradhanush/

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Navigating the final frontier: Unravelling the tale of polio eradication The pursuit of polio eradication in India stands as a landmark chapter in the nation’s public health history, marked by unprecedented efforts and adaptability. In my years at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, I faced challenges that highlighted the complexity of the mission. Polio eradication was a critical national health initiative aligning with global efforts led by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Eradicating the disease had been a long-standing global endeavour, and India was committed to achieving a polio-free status. My journey working towards polio eradication in India was especially challenging in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh around 2010. While Uttar Pradesh exhibited relatively promising progress, Bihar, particularly the Koshi region, presented unique challenges. Despite commendable progress in other parts of the country, Koshi posed distinctive challenges, calling for a tailored strategy to ensure comprehensive immunization coverage. This area, marked by inaccessibility and a transient population, became the final frontier in our relentless battle against polio. Read Tale of Polio Eradication in India - https://p4i.net/navigating-the-final-frontier/

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Why Rural Healthcare Deserves More Budget Allocation in India? India, with its vast rural population, faces a stark healthcare disparity between urban and rural areas. While cities boast multi-specialty hospitals and well-trained doctors, rural communities struggle with inadequate healthcare facilities, a shortage of medical professionals, and limited access to medicines. Despite various government initiatives, rural healthcare remains underfunded and underdeveloped. To bridge this gap and ensure equitable healthcare for all, India must allocate a larger portion of its budget to rural health infrastructure, services, and workforce development. Learn More - https://p4i.net/fixing-indias-healthcare-spending/

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How Women Are Facing the Brunt of Market, Climate, and Social Norms? In the last century, India’s agricultural sector has undergone a significant transformation driven by consumption-driven economics and the intensive agriculture production system. The major river basins in northern and western India became role models, showcasing the successful implementation of the Green Revolution. Public and private initiatives from the 1960s onwards have shaped and reinforced this agricultural pathway. However, amid this agricultural revolution, one critical aspect has been largely overlooked: the significant contribution of women to agriculture in rural India. According to the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-2022, 78% of India’s employed women work in agriculture, with the sector having the highest estimated female labour force participation at 62.9%. The Economic Survey 2017-18 highlights that growing rural-to-urban migration by men has intensified the feminization of the agriculture sector, increasing the involvement of number of women in various activities including planting, harvesting, and managing crops and livestock. Despite their substantial involvement, rural women are often seen as labourers on their own farms rather than recognized as farmers. Their contributions often go unrecognized and unacknowledged, leaving them marginalized and under-resourced.​ Learn More - https://p4i.net/invisible-farmers-how-women-are-facing-the-brunt-of-market-climate-and-social-norms/

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Fixing India’s Healthcare Spending: Making Every Rupee Count India is on a mission to provide equitable and accessible healthcare to its 1.4 billion people. With ambitious schemes like Ayushman Bharat and the National Health Mission (NHM), the government has taken significant steps to improve public health. Yet, a glaring reality persists: healthcare spending in India remains inefficient, and millions of rupees go underutilized every year. How do we fix this? Imagine a system where every rupee allocated for healthcare is tracked in real time, ensuring timely fund disbursement and measurable impact. It is achievable through modern fiscal management tools, standards, and practices. This article explores how India can make its healthcare budget more effective and transparent, transforming its health financing landscape. Learn More - https://p4i.net/fixing-indias-healthcare-spending/

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Ayushman Bharat’s Free ₹5 Lakh Health Insurance for Senior Citizens Over 70 In a significant move to enhance healthcare accessibility for the elderly, the Indian government has expanded the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to include all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their income levels. This initiative provides free health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year, aiming to benefit approximately 4.5 crore families, including 6 crore senior citizens. Learn More - https://p4i.net/charting-a-new-course/

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Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and Its Impact on India's Health Landscape The National Health Authority (NHA) is the nodal agency which introduced the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) also known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission in India. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to establish a nationwide digital health ecosystem. It seeks to enhance the lives of its residents by connecting hospitals with digital health solutions throughout India and streamlining hospital operations. Additionally, it seeks to build a platform that would enable health data to be interchangeable across the health ecosystem, giving each citizen access to a continuous Electronic Health Record (EHR). The mission’s mandate is to establish a digital health infrastructure for the country that would encompass all citizens (130 crore). Every citizen will now receive a digital health ID as part of this scheme, and their medical records will be protected digitally. It aims to assign each person a unique health ID and build a single, interconnected digital health infrastructure. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to maximize the use of digital connectivity and infrastructure for the effective delivery of healthcare services, with a primary focus on patients. Learn More About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission - https://p4i.net/charting-a-new-course/

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Mission Indradhanush: A Game Changer in India's Journey Toward Universal Immunisation Immunization, a cornerstone of public health, stands as a formidable shield against infectious diseases. Beyond individual protection, widespread immunization contributes to community immunity, curtailing the spread of diseases, and safeguarding vulnerable populations. In the dynamic realm of public service and governmental initiatives, my tenure in the Government of India was marked by a compelling dual challenge that demanded immediate and strategic attention. The mission at hand was two-fold: to expand access to vaccines for children across the vast expanse of our nation and to craft a comprehensive sustainable strategy for the effective delivery of these vaccines to every corner of our diverse landscape. Read More - https://p4i.net/mission-indradhanush/

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Insia Dariwala on Female Genital Mutilation Ques- You started your journey as a writer and then co-founded your NGO ‘Sahiyo’ for eliminating Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in the country. What inspired you to start Sahiyo? It will be great if you could also elaborate on the status of the practice currently in India. Ans - I was writing a film on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and found that there wasn’t enough information on this out there at that time. A few years prior to that, I was working as a copywriter in India, when I came across a story on FGM/C in Africa, and realised it was similar to what was being practiced in my own country, especially within the Bohra community. I then came across Aarefa Johari’s (Sahiyo’s co-founder) article, which encouraged me to delve deeper into this issue and that’s when we met. Our meeting made me realise that there are so many women who have been affected by this, including the ones in my family and no one was really doing anything about it on the ground. There was total silence around the issue, more so because it was a social norm with deeply rooted in religious beliefs. That’s when Aarefa, I, and 3 other women got together and founded Sahiyo in 2015. Read other answers - https://p4i.net/in-conversation-with-insia-dariwala-on-female-genital-mutilation-cutting-fgm-c-cyber-safety-and-child-sexual-abuse-in-india/

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Unravelling the Tale of Polio Eradication In my years at the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, I faced challenges that highlighted the complexity of the mission. Polio eradication was a critical national health initiative aligning with global efforts led by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Eradicating the disease had been a long-standing global endeavour, and India was committed to achieving a polio-free status. Unraveling the Tale of Polio Eradication - https://p4i.net/navigating-the-final-frontier/

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Air pollution crisis in Delhi As winter envelops Delhi, the city once again finds itself ensnared in an air pollution crisis. With over 30 million residents, the region has seen a surge in hospital admissions, notably among children and the elderly grappling with breathing difficulties. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi reached an alarming 500 in early November and 400 at the end of the month. Read More - https://p4i.net/a-call-to-breathe-again-air-pollution-crisis-in-delhi/

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Lessons in Health System Strengthening in India Community Action for Health (CAH) functions as a key component under the National Health Mission (NHM), placing people at the center of the process of ensuring that the health needs and rights of the community are being fulfilled.The right to health serves as a cornerstone of social justice, encapsulating the right of people everywhere to have access to quality health services, good nutrition, education and freedom from discrimination. This year’s World Health Day also emphasized the importance of the right to health, with the theme ‘My Health, My Right’. Learn More - https://p4i.net/empowering-communities/

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How the Gender Gap is Hurting Female Farmers in India In the last century, India’s agricultural sector has undergone a significant transformation driven by consumption-driven economics and the intensive agriculture production system. The major river basins in northern and western India became role models, showcasing the successful implementation of the Green Revolution. Public and private initiatives from the 1960s onwards have shaped and reinforced this agricultural pathway. However, amid this agricultural revolution, one critical aspect has been largely overlooked: the significant contribution of women to agriculture in rural India. According to the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-2022, 78% of India’s employed women work in agriculture, with the sector having the highest estimated female labour force participation at 62.9%.

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CAG on Public Health Insurance Scheme in India In Parliament’s tumultuous monsoon session, focus briefly turned to the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with the presentation of a CAG report. It covers the implementation of PMJAY from its inception in 2018 to early 2021, which overlaps with my tenure as its founding CEO. Here I set the record straight on what I consider are misinterpretations in some media reports and suggest the future course for the scheme in light of the CAG findings. Let us start with the good news. CAG report acknowledges that PMJAY “has had a strong positive impact on the economically weaker sections of society”. But the promise of PMJAY extends beyond its targeted population. It has provided a framework for universal health coverage, and has been used by seven states and UTs to expand coverage to their entire populations. CAG on Public Health Insurance Scheme in India - https://p4i.net/two-red-herrings-4-serious-health-problems/

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Delhi Under Siege: How Air Pollution is Strangling the City As winter envelops Delhi, the city once again finds itself ensnared in an air pollution crisis. With over 30 million residents, the region has seen a surge in hospital admissions, notably among children and the elderly grappling with breathing difficulties. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi reached an alarming 500 in early November1 and 400 at the end of the month.2 A recent study underscored the ongoing decline in Delhi’s air quality, with alarming PM2.5 levels posing significant health risks to residents. The spike is a yearly occurrence during the post-monsoon season from October to January, when atmospheric conditions exacerbate pollution. With the year coming to an end, Delhi finds itself, as it does every year, shrouded in a thick layer of smog, prompting government actions to curb its hazardous impact on public health. Learn More - https://p4i.net/a-call-to-breathe-again-air-pollution-crisis-in-delhi/

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In Conversation with Insia Dariwala on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), cyber safety, and child sexual abuse in India Insia is an award-winning international filmmaker/child rights activist, TEDx speaker, and a Creative Campaign Strategist who effectively uses her expertise of 16 years as a Creative Communicator to highlight various issues, including Child Sexual Abuse (CSA), domestic violence, and Female Genital Cutting (FGC) through the medium of visual arts and cinema. Read - https://p4i.net/in-conversation-with-insia-dariwala-on-female-genital-mutilation-cutting-fgm-c-cyber-safety-and-child-sexual-abuse-in-india/

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Partnerships for Impact: Enabling Investments to Maximise Social Impact Inequality is arguably one of the biggest challenges of our times, and it continues to grow wider and deeper with some worrying statistics. The richest 1% of the population controls almost half of the world’s wealth and the World Bank estimates that the pandemic has pushed 88-115 million more people into poverty in addition to the nearly 690 million already living in extreme poverty. 2.2 billion people do not get clean drinking water and 45% of the world population does not have access to a safely managed sanitation services. Apart from the inequalities and inequities, the last couple of decades have also seen tremendous ecological and environmental degradation due to adverse climate change effects. Global temperatures are increasing, and 18 of the 19 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001. Learn More - https://p4i.net/partnerships-for-impact-enabling-investments-to-maximise-social-impact/

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