Ranchi, Sept.: The Tata Steel Foundation hosted a knowledge-sharing session on the learnings, experiences and outcomes of its Signature Programme: Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative (MANSI), today.
The programme aimed at celebrating the achievement of village-level healthcare workers (Sahiyya) who have been engaged in enabling the reduction of maternal, neonatal, infant and child mortalities by tracking high risk cases and facilitating improved implementation of Home Based Newborn Care. The programme, which was instituted in 2009, functions on a PPP model alongside National Health Mission and American India Foundation.
On the occasion, a study depicting the outcome of MANSI�s on-ground implementation was presented by Padma Shri Dr. Abhay Bang (Director-SEARCH), in the presence of Dr. Nitin Madan Kulkarni (Secretary, Health), Chanakya Chaudhary (Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel), Sourav Roy (Chief, CSR, Tata Steel), Dr. Shailesh Chaurasia (Mission Director, National Health Mission) and Mathew Joseph (Country Director, American India Foundation), amongst others.
The study behind this report was based on an independent, mixed-methods evaluation, headed by Dr Bang, at Society for Education and Action in Community Health (SEARCH), in partnership with Dr. Ranjani Gopinath. The report utilized quantitative data from vital rate surveys and analysis of home-based neonatal and newborn care, alongside qualitative data from assessment of key stakeholders (including Sahiyyas and health mobilizers), surveys, focus group and interviews with mothers and other key stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Nitin Kulkarni emphasized on the government�s attention at ensuring the wellbeing of the mother and child, adding the need for the working machinery to continue engaging at all levels of society. He lauded the effort of MANSI, and stressed on the need to scale up the project across Kolhan and West Singhbhum districts of Jharkhand.