Discovering Approaches to Maternal and Child Health: Lessons from Local NGOs in India
Over the past seven years of studying and working on nutrition issues in Indonesia,
where the challenges often seem never-ending, I’ve always been curious about how
other countries approach these problems. India, as a close neighbor and with similar
characteristics, has long been an inspiration to Indonesia—particularly for its long
history of health programs and the important role played by community health workers.
This summer, I had the privilege of working with Society for Nutrition, Education, and
Health Action (SNEHA) in Mumbai, thanks to an introduction from Professor Viswanath
and support from the Harvard Chan India Research Center. More than anything, this
experience taught me about the immense power of data in driving change in community
health.
I had always known, in theory, how essential monitoring and evaluation in building
effective programs. But witnessing this process firsthand at SNEHA gave me a
newfound appreciation. They meticulously collect data—from baseline measurements,
routine monitoring of health services, to endline data collection. It turns out that building
a strong data system has been a common practice for many NGOs in India, including
the Salaam Bombay Foundation, which I had the chance to observe during one of their
school activities.
Uncovering the links between maternal and child diets
One of the focal areas of my research with SNEHA was minimum dietary diversity
(MDD), a key indicator for child nutrition and health, that is well-recognized. However,
the concept of maternal MDD is not as commonly discussed or emphasized. We often
think of children’s meals as separate, focusing on their specific nutritional needs
according to their age. Yet, insights gathered from SNEHA’s data collection revealed
that maternal MDD is closely linked to child’s MDD. When mothers consume at least
five out of ten food groups in a day, their children are more likely to meet their own
nutritional needs as well.
This insight made me realize that we often emphasize educating mothers on how to
prepare nutritious meals for their children, but rarely on how to take care of their own
dietary needs. Addressing this gap could tackle two problems at once, benefiting both
maternal and child health. Interestingly, on the last day, I learned about Go, Grow, and
Glow food framework, adopted by the Indian government, during my visit to a Salaam
Bombay school activity. This approach encourages diverse eating habits by categorizing
foods into three simple groups: Go foods for energy (carbohydrates and fats), Grow
foods for growth (proteins), and Glow foods for overall health (vitamins and minerals). I
found this culturally relevant approach both interesting and practical and could be
extended as an SBCC tool for promoting dietary diversity in households by SNEHA.
Engaging with AI and community health workers
In addition, I was involved in an exciting AI chatbot initiative for maternal and child
health. Initially, the chatbot was designed to help mothers access health information and
to reduce the burden on community health workers (CHWs), who are often short-staffed
and overextended. At first, we focus only on interviewing mothers to gather their
insights. However, we soon realized that the CHWs are a crucial part of the system and
have invaluable perspectives to share. Their involvement and feedback became vital for
the formative research on this AI tools, revealing new ways to enhance its design and
effectiveness for both mothers and CHWs.
Lesson learned and moving forward
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for this experience. It has shown me the
importance of relying on data to inform decision-making and program design, although
translating this data into actionable insights can be another challenge. This experience
has broaden my perspective on the nuances of global health work, highlighting both
similarities and differences in how countries tackle complex health issues.
My hope is that the work I’ve been a part of will continue to benefit the mothers, children
and community health workers I had the privilege of learning from. As I move forward in
my studies and career, I will carry these lessons with me, always reminding myself to
stay open to new perspectives and approaches.
– Melinda Mastan