Developing an effective primary healthcare (PHC) model for urban areas remains a significant challenge in India and HSTP is actively working to address this gap. We have conducted urban healthcare assessments and established partnerships with the urban health systems of Mysuru and Bhopal. In Mysuru, HSTP conducted a comprehensive assessment of the PHC system, while in Bhopal, efforts were made to adapt the WHO Healthy Cities Framework.
In 2022, HSTP, in partnership with Karnataka Health Promotion Trust and St. John’s Research Institute, conducted a study that revealed significant barriers to healthcare access on both the supply and demand sides. Key findings highlighted that while a substantial proportion of women utilized public services for maternal and neonatal care (50%) and child immunization (77%), gaps persisted in crucial areas such as early breastfeeding initiation, with only 50% of newborns breastfed within the first hour of birth. Furthermore, the study revealed alarming rates of stunting (27%), wasting (28%), and anemia among pregnant women (24%) among children under five.
The “Healthy Cities Programme” in Bhopal, adapted from the WHO framework is designed to address key determinants of urban health and create a healthier environment for residents. This place-based approach targets five essential themes: water, sanitation, environment, food and individual & family health each central to improving health outcomes.
To ensure inclusivity and community relevance, the study involved stakeholders from various sectors including experts and community representatives. Recognizing the importance of tracking progress, HSTP focused on identifying measurable indicators and establishing a baseline report. HSTP’s “Healthy Cities” framework draws on global and national efforts to build healthier cities and outlines strategies for inter-sectoral collaboration, setting a clear path forward for Bhopal.
HSTP has partnered with the Centre for Research in Systems and Policy (CRISP) to develop a comprehensive action plan for emergency medical services in Madhya Pradesh. This initiative involves a detailed analysis of ambulance service data (IRDS) and facility mapping to assess service availability and capacity across the state.
This study examines the preferred sources of primary care by the urban population and identifying the factors that influence their choice of healthcare facilities in Bhopal, Mysuru and Bhubaneswar.
This assessment seeks to understand the facilitators and obstacles in delivering urban primary healthcare services in these cities, helping us to identify areas requiring improvement to enhance service delivery.
By mapping urban civil society partners and by identifying the roles and capacities of urban civil society organizations in Bhopal, Mysuru, and Bhubaneswar.
This study aims to assess the share of primary healthcare services delivered by municipal health services, Employee State Insurance (ESI) dispensaries, UPHCs and private sector providers (both formal and informal) in these urban areas.
The Health Systems Transformation Platform (HSTP) is proud to participate in the World Health Summit, taking place from April 25-27, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. As part of this event, HSTP is organizing a panel discussion titled “Transforming Urban Health Policy: A Call to Action for Sustainable, Equitable, and Healthy Cities”. This session will focus on Urban Health Policy in India, exploring its current state and future directions. The panel comprises esteemed members from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Health Resource Centre, and former senior bureaucrats. Through this discussion, we aim to drive meaningful conversations and identify key policy implications, including leveraging technology and partnerships for urban health transformation, increasing focus on health equity and vulnerable populations, and integrating urban health into national health policy.
We are excited to share that the Department of Public Health & Medical Education, Government of Madhya Pradesh, WHO Collaborating Centre Emergency and Trauma Care South-East Asia Region, in collaboration with Centre for Research in Schemes & Policies (CRISP) and Health Systems Transformation Platform, successfully organized the Champions of Change Program – An Integrated Emergency Care System Building Workshop from 27th to 31st of March at JPNATC AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi). This initiative brought together about 40 healthcare professionals from 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh with a shared goal of strengthening and establishing a more integrated emergency care system.
Forum for Health Systems Design and Transformation, more popularly known as Health Systems Transformation Platform (HSTP), a company licensed under section 8 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013 incorporated under the aegis of Tata Trusts.
Samagra Urban Mother and Child Project
Building on these findings, and with the support of The Infosys Foundation, we are implementing the Samagra Urban Mother and Child Project. This initiative aims to address the unique challenges faced by vulnerable populations, particularly in urban slums, and improve health outcomes for mothers and children. The program focuses on the Reproductive Maternal, Neonatal, Child and adolescent (RMNCH+A) services across the Urban Primary Health Centres in Mysuru city in improving quality, access, coverage and affordability of services. Efforts are underway to expand the pilot to addressing noncommunicable diseases, mental health and elderly care supported by additional funding.
To enhance community engagement, HSTP is partnering with the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) Karnataka, to train health volunteers from women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs). HSTP has developed a training module that will equip SHG members with the knowledge to advocate for and access health services which is accepted by NULM. As the next step, the module will be scaled up across SHG groups under the NULM, in collaboration with the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. HSTP is also working towards development of robust referral systems and come up with policy solutions regarding the same. A case study on Mysuru evidence to implementation has also been submitted to WHO. HSTP will continue to explore urban PHC models through targeted pilot interventions aimed at identifying scalable solutions for comprehensive urban primary healthcare across diverse settings.
Service Delivery for Health
A multistakeholder workshop was conducted in April 2024 with the Department of Public Health and Medical Education (DoPHME) to discuss the Action Plan prepared in collaboration with CRISP by HSTP. HSTP is working on evaluating the readiness of healthcare facilities for emergency services and addressing critical gaps in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Public Health Services Corporation (MPPHSCL), the nodal agency for EMS improvements and CRISP. We have developed an assessment template based on IPHS 2022 standards and collected data for 52 District Hospitals to identify and assess the gaps in the Emergency Care services across the state. Priority divisions have been identified based on the available data and reports focusing on individual district hospitals are prepared to be shared with the state.
In response to bridge identified gaps, Champions of Change workshop, a pioneering training initiative designed to fortify Emergency and Trauma Care systems, in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Emergency & Trauma Care (WHO CCET) is being facilitated by CRISP and HSTP. This comprehensive program seeks to enhance the capabilities of healthcare professionals, encompassing doctors and hospital managers, in both clinical and administrative domains of emergency and trauma care.
