The Transformation Tracker

Women worldwide face significant challenges in accessing healthcare for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with two out of every three women succumbing to NCDs annually, resulting in up to 19 million deaths yearly. In India, Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to 60%of all deaths. The four major causes of NCD deaths are Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Hypertension (45%), Chronic respiratory disease (22%), Cancers (12 %), and Diabetes (3%) 1 . A 2012 study examining the health status of elderly women in rural India showed that hypertension is the most common NCD (78 percent of respondents were reported to have the disease), followed by osteoarthritis (73 percent), diabetes (66 percent), and bronchial asthma (77 percent) 2 . The prevalence of NCDs among women is 62 per 1,000, as compared to 36 per 1,000 men. Hypertension, depression, gastrointestinal illness, and diabetes are the most common NCD morbidities in the country. These staggering statistics underscore the urgent ne...

The theme for the 51st Annual National Conference of Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine – IAPSMCON 2024 organised by the Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, was “Transformations for achieving SDGs: Innovate, Integrate, Implement.” Speaking on “Health System Strengthening for Universal Health Coverage (UHC)- Need of the Hour” on February 9, 2024, Dr Sudha Chandrashekhar (Advisor, HSTP) shared key insights on how Health System Strengthening (HSS) impacts achieving UHC: Role of HSS in UHC: Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) is vital for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). It involves purposeful efforts to enhance the performance of healthcare systems, aligning with the objectives of national health policies. HSS ensures quality, equity, efficiency, accountability, resilience, and sustainability in healthcare delivery. Challenges to Government: Disease-oriented funding with limited coordination among partners and poor a...

  Rajeev Sadanandan (CEO, HSTP) writes The Tata Trusts have been working on reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in India in partnership with Dell Technologies and the Government of India through its NCD portal. We are happy to share that the Tata Trusts have collaborated with the Health System Transformation Platform (HSTP) for the management of the NCD portal. This is a significant step forward for HSTP in its mission to impact the healthcare ecosystem of our country positively. Nearly 65% of all deaths and a corresponding level of morbidity in India are due to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). WHO estimates suggest that every year around 5.8 million people die from NCDs (CVD, lung diseases, cancer, and diabetes) and that every 1 in 4 Indians has a risk of dying from NCD before reaching the age of 70 years.  The cornerstone of the Government of India’s (GoI) National Programme for Non-Communicable Diseases is the screening of the population estimated to be...

  The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India is observing the ‘National Road Safety Month’ from 15 January to 14 February 2024. In the light of this, let’s look at the Emergency Care Systems (ECS) through the lens of Road Safety.   The ECS is a lifeline that delivers timely healthcare services for acute illnesses and injuries across all age groups. The essential functions of an integrated ECS include human resources, equipment, and technology that extend from initial care at the scene, during transportation, and at healthcare facilities, as per the WHO Emergency Care System framework.  The 72nd World Health Assembly deliberates upon the integrated ECS for universal health coverage, ensuring timely care for the acutely ill and injured including linkages with other relevant actors, and aligning with Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.6 to reduce global deaths and injuries from road accidents by 50% by 2030. An organised and integrated emerge...

  Dr Sudha Chandrasekhar (Advisor, HSTP) participated in a pivotal panel discussion at the ‘Times Health Excellence – Telangana & AP – 2023’ event organized by The Times Group and IndiGlobal Media Network. The discussion revolved around the important topic of 'Accessible and Affordable Quality Healthcare' - a subject of paramount importance in the contemporary healthcare landscape. Dr Sudha with other panellists at the event Here are the key insights from Sudha’s contributions during the discussion: The theme ‘Time for Action’ concerning Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is apt with the changing healthcare landscape, rising costs of healthcare, and new challenges being faced by people. There is also limited time left to reach the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by 2030. India can achieve UHC when states achieve them individually, as health is a state subject in the country. Currently, there is a ⁠huge variation in commitment and action at the state level. Telangana's ...

  Rajeev Sadanandan (CEO, HSTP) Issues such as impact of climate change on health, One Health and Anti-Microbial Resistance are often assigned to sector specialists to manage, without recognising their significance for the entire health system. For instance, climate change impacts most diseases, either directly or indirectly. Understanding the pathways of impact will assist prevention and mitigation. If policy makers recognise the causality between a climate event and an increase in disease burden it would stimulate investments on research in this area.  To illustrate, epidemiologists map the seasonality of diseases. Traditionally some diseases occur in certain periods, partly due to the increase in vectors during favourable climatic conditions. But if the weather cycles or monsoons become erratic, the predictability of infectious diseases is lost. Epidemiologists will then need to disaggregate each causative factors and then assess their impact. For instance, an unseasonal ra...

In a consultation organized by the Health Resilience Platform Team of the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) in Singapore, Pranay Lal (Senior Advisor, HSTP) was invited to share his expertise on the ‘One Health’ paradigm.  The consultation aimed to engage the AVPN member community in a thoughtful exploration of the approach and its relevance for the dynamic landscape of Asia. It sought to draw perspectives from diverse participants representing corporate foundations, financial institutions, philanthropic foundations, impact funds, and more. The thematic focus of the discussion revolved around key aspects of the One Health approach, delving into its interpretation, relevance in the contemporary world, potential for promoting equity and inclusion, institutionalization in the Asian context, the role of innovative finance, and effective collaboration among key stakeholders. Here is an overview of Pranay’s contributions to the consultation, shedding light on his perspectives and...

India is undergoing a significant shift in healthcare demands, particularly in the realm of home healthcare. The shift can be majorly attributed to demographic changes, including an ageing population and a rise in chronic illnesses. For these areas of concern, home healthcare aims to improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of life, reduce hospital readmissions, and provide holistic care in a comfortable and familiar environment. However, despite this steadily increasing demand, the field of home healthcare in the country remains significantly under-researched. Pallavi Gupta, Sonali Randhawa, and Sunil Nandraj from the Health Systems Governance team at HSTP explored this field in their recent article “The Home Healthcare Boom: Opportunities and Obstacles in India’s Changing Healthcare Landscape”. The article discusses the several critical concerns and challenges that persist in the provision of home healthcare services ranging from accessibility, availability, regulatory issues, stand...

  Our multidisciplinary approach aligned with the WHO framework A unique endeavour in India, the Bhopal Healthy City project is an initiative by HSTP in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh and Swasti. The project showcases a concerted effort towards comprehensive urban healthcare planning in alignment with the WHO Healthy City framework. Starting in 2021 in Indore, the project moved its focus from Indore to Bhopal, following the objectives of the state government, and gained substantial momentum with approval from the Additional Chief Secretary-Health, Government of Madhya Pradesh.  This project focuses on understanding the impact of different determinants of health on urban health. The significance of this concept arises from the necessity of a multifaceted approach to urban healthcare, given the numerous healthcare concerns faced by rising urban populations. Acknowledging the interconnection of different aspects that impact general well-being, the five main p...

Significant Achievements in Our Partnership with the State As a strategic partner to the Government of Meghalaya for strengthening its health system, HSTP conducts research and shares evidence-based recommendations to bridge gaps and enhance public health services. This month, a draft policy for Specialist and Public Health Cadres developed based on a comprehensive assessment by HSTP has been opened for public input. Additionally, the state-wide rollout of Internal Performance Agreements where HSTP provides technical assistance to the Department of Health, has marked a significant stride toward a more robust healthcare system.  HSTP’s support areas in the state of Meghalaya include health financing, resource planning for health, Human Resources for Health (HRH), and digital health. The team undertakes research to facilitate evidence-based decision-making in policy and program implementation. The goal is to address current gaps within the health system, enhance the delivery of publi...

Strengthening district hospitals in India serves multiple purposes, primarily focusing on enhancing healthcare accessibility, providing quality medical services closer to communities, reducing the burden on higher-tier healthcare facilities, improving healthcare outcomes, addressing public health challenges, and ensuring a more comprehensive healthcare delivery system at the grassroots level. Towards this objective, a comprehensive assessment of the District Hospitals in the state is a priority for the partnership between HSTP and the Government of Chhattisgarh in enhancing its healthcare landscape. HSTP is working closely with the Department of Health and Family Welfare. The aim is to align them to the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) 2022 norms by facilitating evidence-based decision-making processes to inform and guide context-specific policy and program implementation. This adherence aims to ensure standardized service quality, efficient resource allocation, and transparency i...

  Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) in India are integral to the nation's healthcare infrastructure, aiming to deliver Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Services (CPHC) with a focus on preventive care and health promotion. These centres serve as the initial point of contact for communities, providing a range of essential health services that alleviate the burden on higher-level healthcare facilities, facilitate early detection of health issues, and foster community well-being. As part of the broader strategy for achieving Universal Health Coverage, HWCs play a vital role in enhancing healthcare access, improving service quality, and bolstering India's public healthcare system. In keeping with the need to improve primary healthcare, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) issued an invitation for Expressions of Interest to conduct a multisite implementation research, on optimising equitable quality CPHC services through Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres.  This e...

Date: December 11, 2023 (Monday) Time: 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM Register Here BACKGROUND On 12 December 2017, the United Nations endorsed the day as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) as part of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goal in achieving universal health coverage by 2030, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines for all. Now that the global community has renewed its commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all worldwide and now, it’s time for immediate and tangible steps that get progress back on track. Let’s urge to enact policies that guarantee equitable access to essential health services without financial hardship and ensure good health and well-being is not a privilege for a few but a right for all. This year’s theme is a reminder that, in a world that continues to experience growing climate-related health threa...