Concordia was invited to join a team of public health professionals and community leaders at INCLEN Trust International to introduce local village residents and leaders to a systemic planning model we call Nexus Planning. The goal was to engage a diverse group of constituents to recommend solutions to challenges within HBNC-Plus; a government program that aims to reduce infant mortality in India. The HBNC-Plus program employs local women in India to be ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) to make home visits to families with newborns and to provide support and guidance to parents during the first year of their baby’s life.
Concordia and the INCLEN Investigation Team conducted three community meetings with local stakeholders to identify challenges and recommend solutions for the ASHA to make successful home visits and build capacity for implementing these solutions.
Through Nexus Planning meetings we learned that the HBNC and HBNC Plus Programs make a significant difference in the health and well being of children, mothers, and families. These programs have a positive impact on the overall health of a village through an approach that includes a broad constituency that supports the program and families that participate.