Kolkata: SAMARTH Project, an initiative by People-to-People Health Foundation (PPHF) and Cognizant Foundation (CF) in collaboration with Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), was launched in the city on Wednesday.
The project aims to improve health and wellbeing of mothers and children and contribute towards the Government’s efforts on reducing maternal and infant mortality in urban slum areas in Kolkata.
It will benefit the pregnant women, lactating mothers, mothers of children aged 0-5 years, children of 1-5 years of age and family members, adolescent girls and community volunteers and influencers over next three years in Kolkata slums starting with Basanti slums, under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
The project also aims to improve access to Maternal, New-born, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) services of the Government among women and children.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh along with Dr. Laxmikant Palo, CEO – PPHF, Indranil Chakravarty, Vice President – Cognizant, Partha Basu, DPO ICDS were present to launch the project.
Atin Ghosh, Deputy Mayor of KMC said, “I congratulate People-to-People Health Foundation and Cognizant Foundation for this initiative. The project will help mothers and children living in slum areas of Kolkata Municipal Corporation receive proper healthcare services.”
Dr. Laxmikant Palo, CEO-PPHF, said, “SAMARTH project intends to impact the health and well-being of urban underprivileged pregnant women, mothers, adolescents, and children. Through this intervention, we are committed to improve maternal and child health and services by increasing community awareness, addressing disparities, and increasing service uptake in Kolkata region.”
Rajashree Natarajan, CEO, Cognizant Foundation, said, “Project SAMARTH reiterates Cognizant Foundation’s commitment to launch initiatives that have a strong focus on child and women welfare.”
Under the SAMARTH Project, the Organizations will conduct activities like-Baseline assessment with control site, Technical Advisory Group with representatives from key departments, Development and adaptation of need-based training modules and materials, Conduct BCC sessions with beneficiaries to improve knowledge and practices, Home-based counselling and skill building for maternal and child care, Capacity building of key influencers and health care providers, Endline Assessment and Dissemination, to name a few.
