Two fellows with public health and social work background will be placed in Chamarajanagar district under the championship of the District Administration (Deputy Commissioner) for 3 years to identify and resolve local health challenges
- A MoU was exchanged between the Chamarajanagar district administration and the India Health and Climate Resilience Fellowship (IHCRF), an initiative funded by Blockchain For Impact (BFI) and implemented by PHIA Foundation.
Karnataka – 10 December 2024 – Chamarajanagar District Administration exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India Health and Climate Resilience Fund (IHCRF) which is funded by BFI to launch a fellowship program collaborating closely with local health authorities, community leaders, and healthcare providers to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the district’s healthcare landscape. Through this collaborative process, the fellows will identify critical health issues and co-create tailored solutions that align with the district’s unique needs and capabilities over the period of three years with a dedicated fund of approximately INR 1.5 Cr. for innovation and prototyping of contextual solutions.
This unique initiative, operating across five districts in four states namely Karnataka, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Assam, utilises a human-centred design approach that prioritises local context and stakeholder engagement to develop practical solutions across key areas such as maternal health, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), child malnutrition, and infectious diseases amongst others. Blockchain For Impact, through India Health and Climate Resilience Fund has so far allocated USD 1 million to support 10 fellows, since May 2024.The initiative will be scaled to states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in coming phases.
The solutions will be developed and implemented in partnership with district stakeholders, ensuring that they are not only effective but also culturally relevant, affordable and feasible. The programme also includes capacity building and knowledge transfer components, empowering local health workers to implement and maintain solutions in the long term.
Shri (Dr.) H C Mahadevappa, Hon’ble Minister, Social Welfare Department, Govt. Of Karnataka said, “Chamarajanagar District should capitalize on this (IHCRF) opportunity to address public health challenges.”
Smt. Shilpa Nag C T, IAS, District Commissioner of Chamarajanagar District, shared her vision for the partnership, stating, “This collaboration with IHCRF is a testament to our commitment to providing quality healthcare for all residents of Chamarajanagar. We believe this initiative will empower our community to co-create a public healthcare system that is truly responsive and resilient to current and future challenges.”
Dr. Varna Sri Raman, Programme Director – IHCRF, expressed enthusiasm for this partnership, stating, “We are excited to collaborate with Chamarajanagar District to strengthen its health systems. Our human-centred design approach, combined with the expertise of our fellows and the commitment of local stakeholders, will ensure that we develop sustainable and impactful solutions tailored to the district’s unique needs.”
The fellowship aims to ultimately create a cohort of problem-solving public health leaders across India who will mentor local non-profit partners and support local government public health systems. To ensure accountability and continuous improvement, the programme will include a robust monitoring and evaluation framework which will track the impact of interventions and enable adjustments to align with local priorities.
