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Inclusive Movement for Participatory and Community-Led Transformation (IMPACT)

Urbanization in India has led to rapidly changing and diverse health needs, requiring adaptive and responsive urban health systems. However, despite initiatives such as National Urban Health Mission, dedicated health grants under Fifteenth Finance Commission, and Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, persistent systemic challenges, including low community awareness of primary health services, fragmented governance across multiple departments, and weak community structures, continue to hinder comprehensive health care delivery.

Existing community platforms have not sufficiently evolved to align with newer comprehensive primary health care initiatives at urban health facilities, including Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) and Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (UAAMs), resulting in limited uptake of services and inadequate responses to emerging public health threats.

To address this gap, the National Health Mission (NHM) established Mahila Arogya Samitis (MAS) and Jan Arogya Samitis (JAS), though variably functional, offer a critical opportunity for participatory governance.

This project seeks to activate and strengthen MAS and JAS in Bokaro, Jharkhand, through a systems-design approach that fosters convergence with Urban Local Bodies, establishes clear linkages and escalation pathways, and enables these community institutions to play an effective role in local health governance and community development.

Publication date: February 2026

Available materials

    1. Conceptual Resource

      The project adopts a participatory, systems-oriented approach to strengthen MAS and JAS as effective platforms for urban health governance and risk pooling. It begins with building motivation and ownership among committee members through structured orientations that clarify roles, foster a shared identity, and emphasize community-level impact. Members were capacitated to conduct community self-assessments, identify health and climate risks, and develop locally relevant action plans and community charters aligned with CPHC services and WASH priorities. Clear delegation of responsibilities, predefined activity calendars, and structured fund-management tools intended to establish a sustainable rhythm of functioning and accountability. The approach integrates risk-pooling concepts and community funds to address priority vulnerabilities.
    2. Training Resource : Phase 1

      Phase I training resources were designed to build a strong sense of identity, clarity of roles, and inclusive collaboration among MAS members. The resources included training ID cards that fostered recognition, confidence, and ownership, alongside comprehensive MAS introduction guides that reinforced key concepts and responsibilities in an accessible, take-home format. A structured role-delegation tool supported members in organizing themselves into functional teams, promoting accountability and shared leadership. Visioning exercise templates based on appreciative inquiry helped align individual aspirations with collective goals.
    3. Training Resource: Phase 2

      Phase II training resources focused on strengthening MAS capacities to systematically assess community needs and understand underlying health risks. The need-assessment forms enabled members to identify community types, prioritize local challenges, and document gaps in services in a simple, participatory manner. Community Charter tools supported structured mapping of health issues and actionable work areas tailored to local contexts. To deepen understanding of social determinants of health, an interactive Social Determinants of Health (SDH) game was used to illustrate cause-and-effect relationships between gender, climate, vulnerability, and health outcomes. Additionally, Suvidha-Darpan (feedback tool) was used to help MAS members collect community feedback about the public health initiatives in the city.
    4. Training Resource: Phase 3

      Phase III Training Resources were designed to empower MAS teams for transformative community action. These resources were intended to strengthen the strategic thinking, planning, and decision-making skills for health, WASH, and livelihood initiatives. They include practical tools such as health assessment forms, WASH survey books, escalation pathway guides, and livelihood ideation templates. The training also builds members’ capacity to engage effectively with government systems and use digital communication channels. Specialized materials support sub-teams and leaders to enhance coordination, accountability, and professional conduct. Overall, Phase III resources enable MAS members to take informed leadership and drive sustainable community change.