Health Systems

1. India Primary Healthcare Support Initiative West Garo Hills, Meghalaya (IPSI)

Project Background:

The Indian Primary Healthcare Initiative (IPSI) is an initiative of the John Hopkins University supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in partnership with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. Supported by the National Health System Resource Centre (NHSRC), IPSI has been mandated to work in three districts (one each) in the states of Gujarat, Odisha and Meghalaya to support the AB-HWC initiative. The Government of Meghalaya has identified West Garo Hills (WGH) as the district for demonstration under the IPSI initiative in Meghalaya and the Indian Institute of Public Health Shillong (IIPHS) as the local partner to facilitate project implementation.

Project Objectives:

  1. To provide support and facilitate co-development of the District Implementation Plan for strengthening PHC teams at West Garo Hills District.
  2. To provide support for the implementation of the District Implementation Plan.
  3. To provide support and facilitate capacity-building activities in the district for strengthening PHC teams.

PI: Prof Sandra Albert, Director and Professor, IIPHS.

Funding Agency: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

2. Meghalaya Health System Strengthening Project

Project Background:

The Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project (MHSSP) is designed to enhance the health system performance and quality of services through strategic investment in the areas of program management, health insurance and quality of service delivery. This project will also invest in iterative learning processes from small scale innovative services that can be meaningfully integrated in the local context. The learnings from the project are expected to shed light on the health systems in other northeastern states, India and neighboring countries with similar challenges.

The Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project was signed on 28th October 2021 between the Government of India and World Bank – International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and was declared effective from 26th Nov 2021 and is for a period of Five years.

Project Objective:

Improving medical care assessment method in health facilities in Meghalaya.

PI: Dr Komal Shah, Associate Professor IIPH, Gandhinagar.

Co PI: Dr Tiameren Jamir, Deputy Director of the Regional Resource Hub, IIPHS.

Funding Agency: World Bank

Year: 2021-2025

3. The risky behaviors among adolescents and their level of awareness, utilization and expectations from the Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics in Meghalaya

The population of youth in Meghalaya is 19.9 lakhs which makes up to 54.8% of the total population of the state (Meghalaya Youth Policy 2021). Previous studies have shown that many of the adolescents are involved in certain risky behaviors such as alcohol consumption (24.0%), smoking (30.0%), tobacco (40.0%), consumption of opoid (6.34%), cannabis (1.68%), and deaths (138) and injury (212) due to road traffic accidents in East Khasi hills (2022) which have a detrimental impact to their well-being both physically and mentally.

In this context, the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthiya Karyakram (RKSK) was launched in 2014 by the Government of India with the aims to help the adolescents realize their full potential by making informed decisions concerning their health by providing Adolescents Friendly Health Services in the Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs). At present there are 122 AFHCs in Meghalaya which are referred to as “friends corner”. These clinics provides special services and have a specialized approach for giving adolescent preventive, promotive and curative health care.

In this context, this study is conducted with the following research questions:

Research Objectives:

  1.  What are the risky behaviors that adolescents are involved?
  2.  What is the adolescent’s level of awareness and utilization of the Adolescent Friendly Health Services and services that adolescents desire to be included in these clinics? 

Objectives:

  1. To determine the risky behaviors that adolescents are involved.
  2. To assess awareness and utilization of the Adolescent Friendly Health Services (AFHCs).
  3. To explore the services that adolescents desire from the Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs).

Funding: Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya.

Year: 2023

4. Teenage pregnancy and it's influencing factors: a qualitative study in Meghalaya

Rationale: Teenage pregnancy is a major concern not only in Meghalaya but globally. As per the NFHS-5 report, it has shown that although the percentage of teenage pregnancy in Meghalaya has reduced from 8.6% to 7.2%, it is still higher than the national average which is 6.8%. Therefore, it is crucial to deeply understand the influencing factors that led these teenagers to end up in teenage pregnancy and also to understand the lived experiences of these teenage mothers so that suitable interventions can be implemented and also to reduce the burden in the state. 

Objectives: 

  1. To identify the influencing factors associated with teenage pregnancy in Meghalaya.
  2. To explore the lived experiences and the supportive mechanisms of teenage mothers in Meghalaya.

Funding: Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya.

Year: 2023