Quarterly Progress Report: Samagra Y4-Q 2 (Jan - March 2024)

Led by Population Services International (PSI), the project endeavors to create a responsive, affordable, and equitable urban health ecosystem, prioritizing quality primary healthcare for vulnerable populations. Implemented in collaboration with USAID, the Government of India, and local stakeholders, Samagra employs an integrated Health System Strengthening (HSS) approach to drive progress in line with national goals. The project's Year 4 objectives focus on intensifying commitment to support state governments in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Innovative initiatives, including community-based health insurance and primary healthcare coverage for urban gig workers, are poised for expansion to reach populations with special vulnerabilities and needs. Samagra aims to provide comprehensive support to 12 city administrations, including Mumbai, ensuring effective implementation of the Fifteenth Finance Commission and Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, while steadfastly supporting the National Urban Health Mission. Throughout this quarter, Samagra has undertaken multifaceted efforts at both national and local levels to fortify urban healthcare systems. At the national level, the team has engaged in building capacities for urban health governance in urban local bodies and enhancing coordination between the health department and urban local bodies. Samagra developed a Learning Resource Package (LRP) aimed at fostering a comprehensive understanding of fundamental concepts within the public health domain. In this quarter, Samagra continued to support cities in setting up functional Urban Primary Healthcare Centres (UPHCs) and pressed ahead with achieving the government's Rabies Free City initiative. The team has also prioritized community engagement for empowering communities and promoting participatory decision-making processes. As part of Samagra's evolving models of innovation, a unique health financing product for pregnant women has been developed under the Uplift Mutuals model to reduce Out-of-Pocket Expenses (OOPE) and promote financial inclusion. This quarter, Samagra signed a partnership agreement with Telangana State TB Cell through its partner Entitled, aiming to improve healthcare access for vulnerable workers. In partnership with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad, and ACCESS Health International, Samagra developed a comprehensive Learning Resource Package (LRP) to foster a comprehensive understanding of fundamental concepts within the public health domain. The LRP addresses key aspects such as outbreak management, epidemic preparedness, climate resilience, and preventive measures in urban environments. 97 participants from 14 cities were trained at ASCI, Hyderabad in January 2024. As part of technical assistance, Samagra developed a standardized tool for conducting supportive supervision visits (SSVs) across UAAMs and UPHCs across intervention cities to identify gaps and areas of strength and improvement. These visits provide insights into the availability of human resources, drugs and diagnostics, IT infrastructure, and IEC. The reports based on the key findings from the visits are shared with the city administration and state for corrective actions. The Additional District Urban Public Health Officer in Bhubaneswar has issued an office memorandum to all medical officers to implement the supportive supervision tool. Samagra's efforts to strengthen urban governance for resilient health systems have been recognized through the development of a comprehensive LRP and the training of 97 participants from 14 cities. The project's commitment to community engagement and participatory decision-making processes has also been demonstrated through its support for community-based health insurance and primary healthcare coverage for urban gig workers.