A Report on the Dissemination of Urban Health Models for Scaling – 15 November, 2019, Mumbai

The document outlines a dissemination event held by SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education, and Health Action) in November 2019 to present its urban health models aimed at scaling up successful public health interventions. The focus was on addressing maternal and child health, adolescent health, gender equity, and violence against women and children in urban slums. The event brought together government officials,

public health experts, and representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to discuss the impact of SNEHA’s programs and the need for partnerships to expand these initiatives. Key themes discussed during the event included the importance of partnering with government systems, building evidence through rigorous data collection, engaging communities in health interventions, and ensuring the sustainability of public health programs. SNEHA’s integrated approach, which combines community participation with public system engagement, was highlighted as a successful model for addressing health issues in vulnerable urban populations.

The event emphasized the need for more robust primary healthcare systems, improved referral mechanisms, and the role of NGOs in supporting public health infrastructure. It also underscored the challenges of addressing malnutrition, violence, and non-communicable diseases in urban settings, advocating for collaborative efforts to reach underserved areas. The discussions concluded with a call to scale these interventions to a larger population by working closely with government agencies and other stakeholders to ensure long-term impact and sustainability.