195104 Transferring Technical Assistance and Policy Research Skills to drive Capacity Building of India Institutions

Monday, November 9, 2009

John-Michael May, MPH , Healthcare Practice, Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd., Arlington, VA
The USAID-funded MCH Sustainable Technical Assistance and Research (MCH-STAR) project improves MCH whereby building capacity of Indian Research Institutions (IRI) focusing on identifying innovative maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition (MNCHN) public health approaches. Specifically MCH-STAR strengthens India's MNCHN research infrastructure by working with stakeholders in both the public and private sector in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. This initiative is built on the visionary concept that in order to sustainably achieve the MDGs in India it is imperative to build the capacity of IRIs by providing technical assistance that specializes in addressing the health disparity in marginalized populations. MCH-STAR provides TA to select IRIs and national government initiatives such as the National Rural Health Mission, the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, the Reproductive and Child Health Program, and the emerging National Urban Health Mission. Additionally, these select IRIs focus their research studies on major causes of morbidity, mortality and malnutrition among women and children. Subsequently, these research efforts promote evidence-based programs and policies to address MNCHN needs. Within 12 months of strengthening critical research specific systems and addressing core MNCHN capacity research gaps through providing a wide range of workshops and Technical Assistance MCH-STAR has led to the improved performance of these abovementioned IRIs by building management, leadership, and organizational capacity. Furthermore, preliminary results have shown that IRIs have the potential to perform at ‘global standards' and also conduct policy analysis and advocacy, research and evaluation, and provide sustainable technical leadership in the MNCHN research arena.

Learning Objectives:
-Describe how transitional capacity strengthening can transform five Indian research institutions into technical assistance organizations of global standards in the maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition (MNCHN) research arena. -Recognize how building the capacity for applied research in India can drive policy analysis and advocacy, research and evaluation, and provide sustainable technical leadership in the MNCHN research arena. -List five public health approaches to improving the health of women and children as identified by Indian research institutions.

Keywords: Maternal and Child Health, Sustainability

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As the Project Coordinator for the Maternal and Child Health Sustainable Technical Assistance and Research (MCH-STAR) project I am qualified to present on this topic. ---- February 2008 – Present - Emerging Markets Group, Ltd. – Washington, DC Mr. May contributes to business development and project implementation activities and provides technical inputs for a variety of donor-funded projects and proposals. He provides technical support and assistance to USAID and Global Fund programs; develops workplans, results frameworks, and performance monitoring plans for healthcare and human capacity development portfolio activities and assists in the management of Local Fund Agent activities for Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, including overseeing financial management, disbursements, monitoring and evaluation of programmatic and financial indicators, and programmatic and institutional assessments for Global Fund grant activities. On the USAID-funded Maternal and Child Health Sustainable Technical Assistance and Research (MCH-STAR) project Mr. May provides home office support from Washington DC and also STTA as the Project Coordinator.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.