Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India
In 2018, WHO with the support of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India and partner organisations launched a Learning Districts Initiative to strengthen the district-level application of the National Adolescent Health Programme and to draw out lessons. An assessment of this initiative from...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/26410397.2023.2283983 |
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| author | Alka Barua Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli Rajesh Mehta Swati Shinde Priyanka Garg Qazi Najam Aparajita Gogoi Mohammed Ziauddin Priyanka Kochar Mini Kurup Nilesh Patil Amita Dhanu |
| author_facet | Alka Barua Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli Rajesh Mehta Swati Shinde Priyanka Garg Qazi Najam Aparajita Gogoi Mohammed Ziauddin Priyanka Kochar Mini Kurup Nilesh Patil Amita Dhanu |
| author_sort | Alka Barua |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 2018, WHO with the support of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India and partner organisations launched a Learning Districts Initiative to strengthen the district-level application of the National Adolescent Health Programme and to draw out lessons. An assessment of this initiative from 2019 to 2023 using qualitative and quantitative programme monitoring data from interviews, discussions, observations and data from multiple secondary sources explored the evolution of the concept, the process of securing government agreement, operationalising the initiative and the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and the potential of sustainability and replicability within the government health system. As part of the process, WHO developed the concept with partners to address the challenges identified in a Rapid Programme Review requested by the Ministry. The Ministry concurred with the proposed participatory problem identification and problem-solving approach. A review-based process guided the implementation. Local non-government organisations supported District Health Management Units to strengthen planning, implementation and monitoring. An expert in adolescent health provided technical oversight. Three years later in 2022, adolescent health is on district agendas, staff capacity has been built, and clinic and community-based activities are carried out in a structured manner. The Initiative is feasible as it leverages local expertise. Its core interventions are acceptable to government officials. While there are improvements in inputs, processes and outputs, these need to be independently validated. Challenges such as unfilled vacancies, problems in supply procurement, inability of staff to discuss sensitive issues, weak intersectoral convergence and low engagement of adolescents in programme management remain to be addressed. Nevertheless, the overall experience augurs well for the future of the programme. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aef1ceacbfe24bac8e2d7890d83e9761 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2641-0397 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters |
| spelling | doaj-art-aef1ceacbfe24bac8e2d7890d83e97612025-08-20T03:27:44ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSexual and Reproductive Health Matters2641-03972023-12-0131110.1080/26410397.2023.2283983Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of IndiaAlka Barua0Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli1Rajesh Mehta2Swati Shinde3Priyanka Garg4Qazi Najam5Aparajita Gogoi6Mohammed Ziauddin7Priyanka Kochar8Mini Kurup9Nilesh Patil10Amita Dhanu11Independent Consultant, Ahmedabad, IndiaScientist, WHO, Geneva, SwitzerlandIndependent Consultant, New Delhi, IndiaIndependent Consultant, Pune, IndiaAssistant Director, MAMTA, New Delhi, IndiaAssistant Director, MAMTA, New Delhi, IndiaExecutive Director, Centre for Catalyzing Change, New Delhi, IndiaSenior Specialist, Centre for Catalyzing Change, New Delhi, IndiaProgramme Lead, EngenderHealth, New Delhi, IndiaTechnical Specialist, EngenderHealth, New Delhi, IndiaAssistant Director, Family Planning Association of India, Mumbai, IndiaProject Director, Family Planning Association of India, Dharwad, IndiaIn 2018, WHO with the support of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India and partner organisations launched a Learning Districts Initiative to strengthen the district-level application of the National Adolescent Health Programme and to draw out lessons. An assessment of this initiative from 2019 to 2023 using qualitative and quantitative programme monitoring data from interviews, discussions, observations and data from multiple secondary sources explored the evolution of the concept, the process of securing government agreement, operationalising the initiative and the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and the potential of sustainability and replicability within the government health system. As part of the process, WHO developed the concept with partners to address the challenges identified in a Rapid Programme Review requested by the Ministry. The Ministry concurred with the proposed participatory problem identification and problem-solving approach. A review-based process guided the implementation. Local non-government organisations supported District Health Management Units to strengthen planning, implementation and monitoring. An expert in adolescent health provided technical oversight. Three years later in 2022, adolescent health is on district agendas, staff capacity has been built, and clinic and community-based activities are carried out in a structured manner. The Initiative is feasible as it leverages local expertise. Its core interventions are acceptable to government officials. While there are improvements in inputs, processes and outputs, these need to be independently validated. Challenges such as unfilled vacancies, problems in supply procurement, inability of staff to discuss sensitive issues, weak intersectoral convergence and low engagement of adolescents in programme management remain to be addressed. Nevertheless, the overall experience augurs well for the future of the programme.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/26410397.2023.2283983adolescent healthnational programmestrengthening district managementfeasibilityacceptabilityeffectiveness |
| spellingShingle | Alka Barua Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli Rajesh Mehta Swati Shinde Priyanka Garg Qazi Najam Aparajita Gogoi Mohammed Ziauddin Priyanka Kochar Mini Kurup Nilesh Patil Amita Dhanu Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters adolescent health national programme strengthening district management feasibility acceptability effectiveness |
| title | Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India |
| title_full | Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India |
| title_fullStr | Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India |
| title_short | Lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the National Adolescent Health Programme or Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram’s Learning Districts Initiative in six districts of India |
| title_sort | lessons learned from conceptualising and operationalising the national adolescent health programme or rashtriya kishor swasthya karyakram s learning districts initiative in six districts of india |
| topic | adolescent health national programme strengthening district management feasibility acceptability effectiveness |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/26410397.2023.2283983 |
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