U.S. and India collaborate to strengthen health outcomes through localization efforts

New Delhi: The United States and India have reinforced their health partnership by focusing on local engagement and community-driven efforts to improve health outcomes.

In an event titled “Advancing Localization: Adapt, Enable, and Empower,” hosted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in New Delhi, government representatives from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, State Health Departments, international health experts, and local development partners, alongside donors and community leaders came together to reflect on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and explore ways to strengthen healthcare at the grassroots level.

This collaboration highlighted the crucial role of local organizations in supporting USAID’s Momentum-Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity project, which has been key in advancing health coverage across India.

India’s remarkable COVID-19 vaccination program, which successfully administered over 2.2 billion doses, has set the stage for further health initiatives. Under USAID’s MOMENTUM project, more than 60 million people across 18 Indian states were reached, thanks to the active involvement of 26 local partners. The project also played an integral part in India’s ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign, aimed at improving vaccination rates among the elderly, tribal communities, and transgender individuals. As a result, over 15 million COVID-19 vaccines were administered, with the goal of bolstering India’s routine immunization infrastructure.

The event also shed light on USAID’s localized approach, which emphasizes the importance of adapting healthcare delivery to the specific needs of communities. Alexandria Huerta, USAID/India Acting Mission Director, emphasized, “The United States and India are partnering to improve health outcomes for the world, fostering healthy and prosperous communities. Locally-led development is at the heart of this collaboration, enabling communities to lead and shape their own futures. The MOMENTUM project exemplifies this approach by engaging more than two dozen local partners, enabling the United States to reach 60 million people. This model illustrates how harnessing local expertise and leadership can drive systemic change, achieve sustainable progress, and set a powerful example of the importance of how localized efforts can achieve global impact.”

Dr. Sanjay Kapur, Managing Director of John Snow India, stressed, “With a network of over 380 local partnerships, we aimed to reach and vaccinate the unreached 20% of the population by identifying vaccine-hesitant areas, prioritizing populations, engaging local influencers, and coordinating with state governments and local partners.”

During the event, representatives from local civil society organizations shared their experiences in promoting health awareness and overcoming challenges related to vaccine hesitancy. Their stories illustrated the power of community mobilization in driving positive health outcomes.

The event underscored the need for continued focus on localized health policies and behavior change communication strategies tailored to specific community contexts. As the partnership between the U.S. and India continues to evolve, both nations remain committed to building healthier, more resilient communities through collaborative, locally-led health initiatives.