In Their Own Words: NUHM Deputy CMO in Mathura Likes Innovations Found in TCI University

Aug 27, 2020

Contributors: Dharmendra Tripathi and Parul Saxena

Dr Pravin Kumar Bharti, the Deputy CMO/Nodal Urban Health in Mathura, points to certificates he earned from TCI University.

Dr. Pravin Kumar Bharti is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Nodal Urban Health with the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in Mathura (Uttar Pradesh, India). He has six years of experience across a wide spectrum of urban health issues. He recently sat down with The Challenge Initiative for Healthy Cities (TCIHC) to share his experience with TCIHC and TCI University (TCI-U). TCI-U includes an India toolkit, which has codified high-impact approaches (HIAs). These approaches are being scaled up through TCIHC in three states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The India toolkit features 15 HIAs, which strengthen service delivery and supply, demand generation and advocacy components of family planning and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) interventions. The toolkit provides standardized and contextualized information, resources and ‘how-to-do’ guidance, which can be easily customized to meet the city requirements for rapidly scaling up evidence-based family planning and AYSRH interventions. In 2019, the government of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha endorsed and approved the high impact approaches and tools of TCIHC, expanding the reach and ultimately impact of them.

When did you first learn about TCIHC and TCI-U? 

In February 2019, TCIHC had organized a State Conclave where the state of Uttar Pradesh endorsed nine HIAs [high-impact approaches] of TCIHC. This is where I first learned about TCI-U. At that time, I was holding the position of District In-Charge, Control Room, Mathura. As a result of my interest in family planning and urban health, I was nominated by CMO [Chief Medical Officer], Mathura, to participate in the State Conclave. As soon as I returned [from the State Conclave], I registered myself and my colleagues on TCI-U with the support of TCIHC City Manager.” 

What motivated you to first use TCI-U?

I developed a keen interest in TCI-U when during a meeting in March 2019 with the Chief Medical Officer, he required some job-aids related to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and he asked TCIHC City Manager for support. TCIHC City Manager quickly browsed TCI-U and downloaded the required information from the resource section linked to the HIA [high impact approach] on Urban ASHAs. I was impressed. And, from that day onwards, I have kept hard copies of the HIAs on my desk and access them on TCI-U as well.”

 How have you used TCI-U?

The high impact tools have helped my department understand fixed day static/family planning day (FDS) approach, role of Mahila Arogya Samiti in demand generation for family planning, importance of convergence between various departments for improving family planning indicators, use of family planning data, funds allocated under Program Implementation Plan (PIP), etc. Moreover, I have downloaded government approved materials like – ‘All method poster’ from TCI-U; this poster is now displayed in all Urban Primary Health Centers of Mathura. Even this poster is used on FDS days and routine service days as well in Outreach Camps to counsel clients on family planning methods. I have also downloaded the ‘Pregnancy screening checklist,’ which was given to staff nurses and community health workers to identify potential clients. TCI-U has helped me improve family planning practices across cadres, including NUHM [National Urban Health Mission] staff to field-level workers. I also navigate TCI-U to learn other countries’ innovations and ideas also.”

 What are your overall impressions of TCI-U?

Urban family planning requires a lot of innovations and TCI-U is one such platform that provides innovative proven approaches. I like everything about TCI-U because it helps to understand our roles better, provides ways to get quick results and offers solutions to overcome potential challenges. That it is my job to improve family planning indicators and take decisions. TCI-U helps me do that. I have taken a couple of assessments related to the HIAs and earned certificates, which I find to be the most exciting part. TCI-U is a well-structured website, which provides comprehensive information and resource materials.”

Like Dr. Bharti, around 35 government officials are registered on TCI-U from Mathura and most of them have completed the assessments for the high-impact approaches and received certificates.