Submitted by Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates at TEDxChange @ TEDxDelhi on March 22, 2011. Photo by Suzanne Lee for Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
During Women’s History Month, it’s important to stop and reflect on the incredible progress women have made the past few decades. Perhaps nowhere have results been more impressive than in women’s health and the health and wellbeing of their children. I am optimistic this progress will continue as the tools and strategies that have been effective in accomplishing these amazing feats are still improving and rolling out in a number of countries around the world.
Take India, for instance, where I am visiting this week. As a result of its large population and many other factors, India has the highest burden of maternal and newborn deaths globally (22% and 28% respectively) and almost half of the world’s malnourished children (more than 55 million). The rest of the health data paint the same picture.
But what excites me is that India is also a hotbed of innovation. Led by the national government, India has taken an innovative approach to improving the delivery of all key family health services, ranging from antenatal and postnatal care to family planning and immunization.
The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), India’s flagship national health program targeting rural populations, is a great example. Created in 2005, NRHM has prioritized maternal and child health and empowered health workers to reach women and children in the most remote villages. The program is particularly good at taking ideas and spreading them across India, leveraging innovation at state and local levels. One of those ideas alone, the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)—a conditional cash transfer program for pregnant mothers—has driven millions more women into facilities to give birth, resulting in a proven reduction in neonatal deaths in the country.
The success of NRHM was likely an important factor in the government’s recent decision to increase the overall health budget by 20%.
Tuesday, at the foundation’s TEDxChange event in New Delhi, India, we heard about many other innovative solutions like NRHM and JSY that could save millions of lives. If you missed the live webcast, we’ll have videos and blog posts from the event available soon.
I would like to say thank you for all those who are working for the development of woman’s education and health in the rural areas.
We have to do a lot in the remote area of Indian villeages to stress women’s Education and Health. The government should work side by side with NGO’s for the development of weomens’s education and Health in the remote areas of villeages.
Thank you,
Triloki Kaul.
I really appreciate the effort being put to help educate women in this rural areas. Thank you for helping out in this third world countries.
Thank
Tony
Hello,it is wonderful to hear of the great accomplishments that the NRHM is doing in india.I am a kenyan resident living in the rural areas with a lot of love for my community.my people used to travel long distances for maternal care untill I put up a structure to cater for that unmet need…they have low incomes and thus have been charging lower fees than the government hospitals.the reception was wonderful by the community but I can nolonger support the inflow and thus mothers have resorted to giving birth at home and later come back with complications…I write here because I need some direction from ur administration..your assistance will be appreciated.thank you