Meghalaya’s efforts to improve maternal and child health through community-driven behavioural interventions have drawn the attention of UNICEF India, with senior officials visiting a village in Ri-Bhoi district to assess grassroots innovations aimed at boosting immunisation coverage and identifying high-risk pregnancies.
Dennis Christian Larsen, Chief of Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) at UNICEF India, along with officials from UNICEF’s Delhi and Assam offices, visited Umpathaw village under Umling Block on June 11 to observe how behavioural insights are being translated into action through locally designed health interventions.
The visit focused on understanding how communities are helping address persistent public health challenges, including vaccine hesitancy and gaps in maternal healthcare. UNICEF officials interacted with frontline health workers, community leaders, fathers, adolescents, schoolchildren and “Buddy Mothers” to assess factors influencing health-seeking behaviour and the effectiveness of community-led solutions.
The initiatives are being implemented under the GAVI Health Systems Strengthening (HSS-3) programme by Tattva Foundation in partnership with the Government of Meghalaya, NHM Meghalaya and UNICEF India. The programme seeks to increase demand for routine immunisation and reduce the number of “zero-dose” children—those who have not received even a single vaccine dose.