The annual meeting of the Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) was held today under the chairpersonship of Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, with H.E. May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of Norway to India, co-chairing the session. The meeting reviewed and approved the NIPI Progress Report 2025 and the budgeted work plans for 2025–26 under Phase IV of the initiative.
In her address, Smt. Srivastava emphasized the power of collaboration in driving health outcomes, stating, “NIPI demonstrates how convergence of efforts can yield impactful results. The Government of India also engages in convergence with states and UTs through a whole-of-government approach to achieve shared health goals.”
Highlighting India’s role as a testing ground for innovation, she reiterated the nation’s commitment to sharing successful models from NIPI with other regions for wider adoption. She also underscored the importance of the IPHS ODK (Indian Public Health Standards – Open Data Kit) Tool, developed under the initiative, which enables states to assess health facilities, identify service delivery gaps, and receive targeted support to meet standards. Concluding her remarks, she reaffirmed the Ministry’s appreciation of the partnership and its ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador May-Elin Stener reflected on the partnership’s enduring success as it approaches its 20th anniversary next year. She commended the initiative’s innovative and catalytic interventions that have yielded measurable results over the years.
Ms. Stener also highlighted India’s strong ownership of the initiative, noting, “The Indian government has invested 26 times more than Norway under this partnership, underscoring its significance and commitment. India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation is evident in the progress at the grassroots level. The advancements in health services since the start of this collaboration in 2006 are remarkable.”
The meeting also showcased key deliverables under NIPI’s Phase IV, including:
The IPHS ODK Toolkit for facility assessment and quality improvement
Establishment of an Innovation Hub within the National Health Mission (NHM)
Development of a Decision Support System (DSS) for enhanced service provision under Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM)
Creation of a Pre-Pregnancy Care Model and a ‘Self-Care’ Cervical Cancer Screening Model
Formulation of Integrated Home-Based Care for Newborns and Children (HBNCC) Guidelines
The Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI), established in 2006 through an agreement between the Governments of India and Norway, aims to advance India’s National Health Policy and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). NIPI provides strategic, catalytic, and innovative support to the National Health Mission (NHM) across five partner regions — Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Having completed three successful phases, the initiative is now in its fourth phase, offering critical technical support to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and state NHMs. Over the years, NIPI has played a vital role in implementing health innovations, generating evidence, and strengthening systems through knowledge and documentation outputs.
The partnership is overseen by an Annual Joint Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Union Health Secretary and the Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, with the Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM) serving as the convener. The committee sets priorities, reviews results, and approves annual work plans and progress reports.
The meeting was attended by Smt. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary, Smt. Meera Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Dr. Ashfaq Bhat, Programme Director, NIPI, Mr. Are Nagoda, Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Ms. Undis Vatvedt Singh, Senior Advisor, Royal Norwegian Embassy, along with Principal Health Secretaries and Mission Directors from NIPI-supported states, and senior officials from the Union Health Ministry.
Also Read