TCI’s program director Hitesh Sahni (standing at podium) addresses stakeholders at the state-level consultation meeting in Bihar.
The Challenge Initiative (TCI) enables city governments to scale up high-impact family planning practices and other interventions (HIPs & HIIs) in under-resourced, marginalized urban communities across three states in India (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand).
At a state-level consultation meeting on urban health and family welfare held June 8 in Bihar, TCI’s efforts to improve access to family planning services in its seven supported cities were lauded by state health officials, who now will scale up HIPs & HIIs across the entire state.
The one-day meeting – organized in collaboration with the State Health Committee in Bihar and PSI India, TCI’s country-based partner – provided stakeholders an opportunity to discuss the implementation and achievements of the state’s family planning program. They examined family planning services offered by the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), challenges and opportunities, such as the encouraging positive results from the HIPs & HIIs being implemented in the seven Bihar cities supported by TCI.
In addition to state health officials, the meeting included development partners like CARE India, Pathfinder, PATH, NIPI, Piramal Foundation and UNFPA. A representative from the State Health Society in Bihar said that TCI would be providing more comprehensive coaching to strengthen the family planning program in urban areas, including the seven cities. Because of the success seen throughout TCI’s supported cities, HIPs & HIIs will now be scaled-up to other Bihar cities as well.
Mukesh Sharma, Executive Director of PSI India, discussed TCI’s approach and its use of HIPs & HIIs to increase access to family services, particularly for the urban poor. Hitesh Sahni, TCI’s Program Director, noted that with increasing urbanization, access to health services among the urban poor remains a huge challenge that can be mitigated with increased coordination between the various stakeholders.
TCI’s began its efforts in Bihar in July 2022 with the following cities: Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Patna, Rohtas, Munger and Pashchim Champaran.
