AuCare is a digital notebook designed to support a child’s development by offering tailored tips and notes for parents and caregivers. Featuring three modules—Family, Mentor, and Individual, it delivers a 360° view of the child’s progress and activities. IIHMR and Thinkar Foundation, in collaboration with WeNurture Foundation, aim to develop a tracking app for autistic children. Since each child follows a personalized plan, centers like WeNurture currently use individual diaries and WhatsApp to share audio/visual notes and track progress. The app would streamline and centralize this data for better monitoring and analysis.

Thinkar Foundation would train rural apprentices and lead the tech development, while IIHMR Bangalore and WeNurture Foundation would support pilot implementation. The solution includes a web portal for families/mentors and a tablet/mobile PWA for the child. It would be an open source and shared with the wider community. The project would progress in two phases viz., Phase 1 (6 months): User interviews, user stories, wireframes, and pilot of the mentor module, Phase 2 (8 months): Data collection, development of family and individual modules, V1 rollout, and deployment of AI-powered AuCareBot. The pilot would be implemented at WeNurture Foundation, with IIHMR overseeing project monitoring, collecting data for research, and sharing insights with partner organizations.

About The Project

This program focuses on underprivileged communities living in the urban slums of Bangalore in strengthening 1st 1000 days and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD). The program would 1) identify the gap and strengthen the 1st 1000 days for improved Maternal Child Health outcomes. 2) Enrol children aged 6 months to 3 years in each creche (total 3 creches), provide nutritious snacks and early simulation for the overall development (Cognitive, Language, Physical, Social, and Emotional) of the child 3) Provide health literacy to parents of ECCD beneficiaries and community on 1st 1000 days viz., child growth and development, IYCF, Early Childhood Education, Food and Nutrition, WASH, Immunization, Family Planning, etc and also improve demand to seek healthcare from public health facilities/FLWs.

About The Project

The present study is conducted in Villathikulam and Pudur Taluks, Thoothukudi District, Tamilnadu. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), diabetes (men-25, women-22), hypertension (men-28, women-25), Alcohol (men-21.6), tobacco consumption (men- 18.5) is considerably high in Thoothukudi district compared to national average (DM -men (18), women (16), HPT- men (27), women (24), Alcohol (16,5) and Tobacco (29). Thus, intervention focusing on lifestyle modification for NCD control in the community is critical. The program aims to i) enhance the awareness and practice related to NCDs (hypertension and diabetes) risk behaviour viz., tobacco, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, and nutrition/balanced diet among adults ii) increase screening, treatment compliance, and follow-ups for NCDs, especially on Hypertension, Diabetics among adults and iii) assess and measure the outcome and impact of the program. Target beneficiaries of the program are the adults above 18 years.

About The Project

Attaining NQAS certification signifies a commitment to adhering to nationally recognized standards and guidelines, demonstrating the PHC’s dedication to delivering high-quality and standardized care. However, despite economic progress, healthcare access remains uneven, particularly in remote and underserved rural areas. The healthcare landscape in Tamil Nadu reveals a certification status for 78 facilities, including 28 Primary Health Centers (PHCs), as per the NHSRC report. Notably, within the Thoothukudi district, only SDH Thoothukudi possesses National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification, emphasizing a crucial gap in standardized healthcare quality within the region. Against this backdrop, the program aims to i) conduct a comprehensive gap assessment aligned with NQAS guidelines ii) develop and facilitate the implementation of an effective action plan, and iii) ensure end-to-end readiness of the facility for the national-level NQAS assessment.

About The Project

The PRATIKRIYA-HCQ project aims to transform traditional patient feedback mechanisms in hospitals through artificial intelligence and machine learning. Developed in response to NABH Standard PRE.7, which mandates robust feedback and grievance redressal systems in healthcare, the project addresses the limitations of outdated methods like suggestion boxes and paper surveys. By leveraging BERT-based sentiment analysis, the system processes unstructured patient feedback primarily from Google reviews to identify themes such as doctor experience, staff behavior, cleanliness, waiting times, treatment costs, and overall facility experience. Subsequently Causality and Severity Assessment Score is assigned to each issue and generates automated tickets based on urgency and relevance. This feedback is routed to designated hospital staff for timely redressal, ensuring enhanced patient satisfaction and institutional compliance. This system would be pilot tested in a private hospital chain in Bangalore. It stands out as a scalable, tech-driven solution to improve the quality of care and operational efficiency in healthcare settings.

About The Project

The study is led by a consortium of research partners with the Center for Global Digital Health Innovation (CGDHI) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and eHealth Lab Ethiopia at the University of Gondar leading the retrospective case studies. The World Bank Group is leading the prospective country learning, and McKinsey Health Institute is leading the Options Support. The India-specific work is led by the Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) in Delhi and Bangalore. The study aims to i) capture rigorous, practical evidence on what works, how, and why across a set of countries/States with varied contexts, trajectories, and levels of maturity ii) develop a better long-term vision to leverage digital health solutions/approaches and iii) build an ecosystem of actors to support the application of knowledge, including implementers, donors, technical assistance providers, and the private sector.

About The Project

Following the successful pilot testing of the assessment tools in Karnataka, the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) has extended the study to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It aims to validate the tools developed to maintain the original objectives while incorporating state-specific modifications to ensure the tool’s adaptability across different Indian regions. The primary objectives of this study are two folds: first, to develop a standardized tool to objectively assess the quality of Community Health Officers (CHOs) in managing common health conditions at Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs); and second, to pilot and validate an aptitude assessment tool for CHOs, evaluating their abilities across various functions at HWCs. The methodology is guided by an input-process-output framework and employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data. Data collection methods include observations, record reviews, and personal interviews with patients, CHOs, ASHAs, ANMs, MPWs, and Medical Officers. The assessment tools cover thematic areas such as General Infrastructure, Statutory Compliances, Clinical Quality and Documentation, Safety, Training, Inventory Management, and Clinical Governance. An online data collection application, like the NQAS assessment app, is being used for collecting assessment data.

About The Project

Cornell University is conducting a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of Quadruple-Fortified Salt (QFS; Iron, Iodine, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12) in women (18-49 years) and their households in Southern India. Women 18 to 49 years who are not pregnant or lactating and reside within the catchment area of the community-based research site in Southern India are screened and invited to participate in the trial. IIHMR is supporting the randomized efficacy trial of QFS at the Madanapalle research field site in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. This involves recruiting enumerators, assisting with community-based recruitment, coordinating monthly salt interventions, and overseeing all field operations throughout the study phases.