Disseminating Urban Health Models for Scaling 2019 – Mumbai

The report by the Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action (SNEHA) emphasizes addressing urban health challenges in Mumbai's informal settlements through innovative approaches. SNEHA targets key health areas, including child nutrition, maternal and newborn health, adolescent health, and violence prevention against women and children.

Their strategy integrates community engagement and partnerships with public systems to enhance health service delivery and foster sustainable outcomes. Their programs emphasize building community ownership, evidence-based interventions, and empowering individuals as agents of change. A significant focus of the report is the importance of evidence-building to assess and refine health interventions. SNEHA has utilized both qualitative and quantitative research, including randomised control trials, to improve program outcomes. Their work with public health systems, such as developing referral protocols and maternal care systems, has shown success in reducing malnutrition and improving health service access. These models aim to integrate seamlessly into government systems for scalability and sustainability.

The organization also highlights sustainability as a core principle, aiming to balance community empowerment with institutional integration. By training local health workers and leveraging grassroots NGOs for outreach, SNEHA has enabled long-term positive impacts even after transitioning some program responsibilities to community members and governmental bodies. The report concludes with recommendations for leveraging partnerships, increasing data management capabilities, and promoting community-driven solutions to address urban health inequalities effectively.