Duration

2021-2025

Donor

USAID

Implementation Partners

Consortium, including JSIPL, IPE-Global, WHP, Dimagi

Reach

Jharkhand, Uttarakhand & Madhya Pradesh

The Systems Approach for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, that focused on Vulnerable Geographies (SAMVEG) project, was implemented in Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, focusing on 25 underperforming Aspirational districts. It was implemented by a consortium where JSIPL was the lead partner for private sector engagement activities supported by other consortium partners.
The project was premised on a ‘health systems’ improvement model with strong market systems and private sector engagement strategies under a ‘Health markets development approach’ that catalyzed change and demonstrated models by innovating responsively and for sustainability. The project interventions impacted a population of 143 million with a focus on 3.6 million pregnant women, 3.3 million newborns, and 13.4 million under-five children.

Gaps and Challenges Addressed

Despite infant mortality and under-five mortality rates declining over the last decade, almost 20% of world infant deaths are still recorded in India. Three significant causes that account for 78% (500,000 of 640,000) of all neonatal deaths are prematurity and low birth weight, neonatal infections, and birth asphyxia. Further, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases account for 50% of all deaths between 1–59 months.
India accounts for 32,000 maternal deaths annually, with significant causes being hemorrhage (27%), obstetric complications (23%), sepsis (17%), indirect causes (16%), abortion (10%), and hypertensive disorders (7%). Improving MNCH services remained a challenge, with private sector engagement in government programs being sub-optimal.

Key Objectives

To accelerate efforts to reduce maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality through several catalytic and innovative interventions focusing on vulnerable and unreached populations.

To work closely with the government and align strategies of state and private partners for enhanced impact.

To demonstrate innovative models across the continuum of care for pregnant and post-partum women, and under-five children in selected districts of priority states.

JSIPL’s role in implementing SAMVEG

The organization led private sector engagement activities by forming a consortium and establishing partnerships. A key priority of the project was to map critical MNCH private sector facilities for implementing a range of interventions and to develop care models that are compelling to the private sector.

The Project provided strategic technical assistance in Health Market Systems and Private Sector Engagement. It adopted a market development approach appropriate in the local context.

Achievements

Forged partnerships with professional bodies, Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) and Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) to engage with private healthcare providers for improving MNCH care in vulnerable geographies.
Provided implementation support for care models, integrating innovative MNCH products from private partners in the service delivery package of public health facilities in difficult geographies
Adopted a holistic “total market” approach to maximize comparative advantages of public and private health sectors to improve and sustain access, quality, equity, and efficiency of MNCH markets.
Promoted design and implementation of market-based solutions; ownership, and sustainability; fostering trust, shared values, joint problem-solving, and collaboration among market actors; and leveraged data use and evidence-based practices, innovations, and digital technologies to drive market improvements.

Systems Approach for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, focusing on Vulnerable Geographies (SAMVEG)

Gaps and Challenges Addressed

JSIPL’s role in implementing SAMVEG

Achievements