Graam

Grassroots
Research
And
Advocacy
Movement

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Thematic Focus

PUBLIC HEALTH

Public Health is a key focus area for GRAAM as evidenced by the fact that a significant portion of its research work and advocacy efforts are in the domain of public health. Within public health, GRAAM is working on the following issues.

National Health Policy

Dr. R Balasubramaniam and Rohit Shetti presented inputs based on GRAAM’s experience in public health in a State level consultation conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India in Bangalore.

This presentation focused on demedicalization of health, ways of addressing regional disparities in health, better working conditions for frontline workers, strengthening of community monitoring initiatives, quality issues in health care and being prepared for the ageing population of India. More importantly moving away from the approach of integrating AYUSH into mainstream and considering it as an alternative to building the health care system of India keeping its inherent and traditional knowledge at the centre.

NDPS Act

GRAAM engaged in the facilitation of bringing together stakeholders to amend certain provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The amendment seeks to ensure the availability of essential narcotic medicines to patients while upholding regulations on preventing misuse and diversion. The amendment also seeks to have a uniform national policy on the selected medicines.

Discussions were held with stakeholders, MPs of different political parties and also with key bureaucrats in the Ministries of Health as well as Finance to bring awareness and highlight the importance of the amendments required. The amendment to the act was proposed and it was passed by the Parliament of India on 21st Feb 2014.

Regional disparities in health services in Karnataka

GRAAM’s evaluation of the National Rural Health Mission in Karnataka has found severe regional disparities in health services in Karnataka. Study recommended a relook into funding approach and strongly advocated to shift from facilities based funding to a need-based funding approach.

Policy for chronic diseases

Being a member of Karnataka Knowledge Commission’s Mission group on Public Health and Department of Planning’s Expert Group on Health, Dr. R Balasubramaniam has been able to make an active contribution to a policy for chronic diseases.

Projects / Programmes

Sl. NoProject NameAssignment PartnerThematic AreaFunctional AreaAssignment Date
Sl No. Name of the Project Assignment Partner Thematic Area Function Area Assignment Period
1. Perspectives and practices of tribal traditional healers on health and health systems across different states of India: Mixed method study Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute Public Health Development Research Dec 2022
Dec 2023
2. A study of the health status needs and access of the nomadic tribes of Jammu and Kashmir World Health Organisation Public Health Development Research May 2023
Dec 2023
3 NISHTHA: Transforming Comprehensive Healthcare in India Jhpiego Public Health Community Consultation Dec 2020 Mar 2023
4 To support case-study on Civil-society Participation in India’s Pandemic Response World Health Organisation Public Health Development Research Sep 2022
Feb 2023
5 Rapid policy assessment and analysis to identify gaps that need interventions for integrated NCD service delivery World Health Organisation Public Health Development Research Oct 2022 Dec 2022
6 Public Engagement meetings for Urban CPHC Karnataka Health Promotion Trust ( KHPT) Public Health Community Consultation Dec 2021
Sep 2022
7 Community Need Assessment Stelis Biopharma Limited Public Health Impact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON) May 2022
Sep 2022
8 Assessment of the Implementation of Ayushmaan Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) in India National Health System Resource Centre (NHSRC) Public Health Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation Oct 2020
Jun 2021
9 Demand Side Assessment of Primary Health Care in Assam World Health Organisation Public Health Development Research Sep 2019
Jun 2020
10 Evaluation study of Out Of Pocket Expenditure Incurred for Maternal Health Care by BPL Women in Karnataka in Public Health facilities Karnataka Evaluation Authority (KEA) Public Health Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation Jan 2019
Mar 2020
11 Adolescent Wellbeing- a Preliminary Study in Karnataka’s Government Schools PAGE Industries Limited Public Health Development Research Oct 2019
Mar 2020
12 Outsourcing Formulation of Policy Options and Legal Implications for Enabling Prescription and Dispensing by Mid-Level Health Workers and Nurses for Primary Health Care in India World Health Organisation Public Health Development Research Jun 2019
Dec 2019
13 School Toilet Requirement – Need Assessment Study Toyota Public Health Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation Oct 2018
Dec 2018
14 Project Samvarthana: A Convergent Approach to Child Survival & Development UNICEF Public Health Impact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON) Nov 2015
Oct 2016
15 Study of Health Need Assessment in the selected Graam Panchayat of Ramanagara District, Karnataka Toyota Public Health Impact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON) Sep 2015
Nov 2015
16 A study of nutrition among tribes – a project in collaboration with Azim Premji University Azim Premji University Public Health Development Research Apr 2013
Nov 2014
17 Study of the Performance of 24 X 7 PHCs in the ‘C’ Category Districts of Karnataka Karnataka State Health System Resource Centre (KSHSRC) Public Health Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation May 2014
Oct 2014
Name of the Project
Assignment Partner
Thematic Area
Function Area
Assignment Period
Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute
Public Health
Development Research
Dec 2022
Dec 2023
World Health Organisation
Public Health
Development Research
May 2023
Dec 2023
Jhpiego
Public Health
Community Consultation
Dec 2020
Mar 2023
World Health Organisation
Public Health
Development Research
Sep 2022
Feb 2023
World Health Organisation
Public Health
Development Research
Oct 2022
Dec 2022
Karnataka Health Promotion Trust ( KHPT)
Public Health
Community Consultation
Dec 2021
Sep 2022
Stelis Biopharma Limited
Public Health
Impact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON)
May 2022
Sep 2022
National Health System Resource Centre (NHSRC)
Public Health
Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation
Oct 2020
Jun 2021
World Health Organisation
Public Health
Development Research
Sep 2019
Jun 2020
Karnataka Evaluation Authority (KEA)
Public Health
Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation
Jan 2019
Mar 2020
PAGE Industries Limited
Public Health
Development Research
Oct 2019
Mar 2020
World Health Organisation
Public Health
Development Research
Jun 2019
Dec 2019
Toyota
Public Health
Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation
Oct 2018
Dec 2018
UNICEF
Public Health
Impact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON)
Nov 2015
Oct 2016
Toyota
Public Health
Impact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON)
Sep 2015
Nov 2015
Azim Premji University
Public Health
Development Research
Apr 2013
Nov 2014
Karnataka State Health System Resource Centre (KSHSRC)
Public Health
Social Impact Assessment & Evaluation
May 2014
Oct 2014
Sl. NoProject NameAssignment PartnerThematic AreaFunctional AreaAssignment Date
1NISHTHA: Transforming Comprehensive Healthcare in IndiaJhpiegoPublic HealthCommunity ConsultationDec 2020
Mar 2023
2To support case-study on Civil-society Participation in India’s Pandemic ResponseWorld Health OrganisationPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchSep 2022
Feb 2023
3Rapid policy assessment and analysis to identify gaps that need interventions for integrated NCD service deliveryWorld Health OrganisationPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchOct 2022
Dec 2022
4Public Engagement meetings for Urban CPHCKarnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT)Public HealthCommunity ConsultationDec 2021
Sep 2022
5Community Need AssessmentStelis Biopharma LimitedPublic HealthImpact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON)May 2022
Sep 2022
6Demand Side Assessment of Primary Health Care in AssamWorld Health OrganisationPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchSep 2019
Jun 2020
7Adolescent Wellbeing- a Preliminary Study in Karnataka’s Government SchoolsPAGE Industries LimitedPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchOct 2019
Mar 2020
8Outsourcing Formulation of Policy Options and Legal Implications for Enabling Prescription and Dispensing by Mid-Level Health Workers and Nurses for Primary Health Care in India.World Health OrganisationPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchJun 2019
Dec 2019
9Project Samvarthana: A Convergent Approach to Child Survival & DevelopmentUNICEFPublic HealthImpact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON)Nov 2015
Oct 2016
10Study of Health Need Assessment in the selected Graam Panchayat of Ramanagara District, KarnatakaToyotaPublic HealthImpact Innovation and Knowledge Consulting (IIKCON)Sep 2015
Nov 2015
11A study of nutrition among tribes – a project in collaboration with Azim Premji UniversityAzim Premji UniversityPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchApr 2013
Nov 2014
12Perspectives and practices of tribal traditional healers on health and health systems across different states of India: Mixed method studyPiramal Swasthya Management and Research InstitutePublic HealthDevelopment ResearchDec 2022
Dec 2023
13A study of the health status needs and access of the nomadic tribes of Jammu and KashmirWorld Health OrganisationPublic HealthDevelopment ResearchMay 2023
Dec 2023
14Assessment of the Implementation of Ayushmaan Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) in IndiaNational Health System Resource Centre (NHSRC)Public HealthSocial Impact Assessment & EvaluationOct 2020
Jun 2021
15Evaluation study of Out Of Pocket Expenditure Incurred for Maternal Health Care by BPL Women in Karnataka in Public Health facilities.Karnataka Evaluation Authority (KEA)Public HealthSocial Impact Assessment & EvaluationJan 2019
Mar 2020
16School Toilet Requirement – Need Assessment StudyToyotaPublic HealthSocial Impact Assessment & EvaluationOct 2018
Dec 2018
17Study of the Performance of 24 X 7 PHCs in the ‘C’ Category Districts of KarnatakaKarnataka State Health System Resource Centre (KSHSRC)Public HealthSocial Impact Assessment & EvaluationMay 2014
Oct 2014

Partnership & Collaboration

Azim Premji University
UNICEF
Toyota
WHO
Karnataka Evaluation Authority
Page Industries
National Health Mission
jhipirgo
KHPT
NHSRC
Stelis Biopharma
Piramal Swasthya

GRAAM Members with Expertise