The NIPI Joint Steering Committee has approved funds not exceeding an amount of 15 million NOK (About 2.1 million USD). The funding is available for studies relevant for Newborn, Child and related Maternal Health within the context of the Reproductive and Child Health Programme of the National Rural Health Mission under the auspices of the Norway-India Partnership Initiative. The time span of the funding is 2009-2011.
Institutions are requested to submit applications to The Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi.
Mail your porposal to emb.newdelhi@mfa.no.
Deadline is 15th April 2009.
Background
Research is an essential tool for assisting decision-makers in improving health and health systems in an effective and equitable manner. Decision making within the Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) must be informed by the best available evidence. NIPI’s vision is to support the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) through the Reproductive and Child Health Program (RCH-II) by utilising catalytic, innovative and strategic means, to achieve Millenium Development Goals 4&5 (MDG4&5). New and innovative programmes and interventions should be evaluated using appropriate methods to assess their effectiveness before they are rolled out to scale.
The Norway India Partnership Initiative has set aside 4 million USD for operational research and the evaluation of innovative interventions, as stated in the program document over a period of 5 years (2007-2011), of which an amount of 15 million NOK (approximately 2.1 mill USD) will now be allocated.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi organized a two-day Operation Research Seminar on 9th and 10th Feb. 2009 in collaboration with National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) in New Delhi. 21 participants from Norway and 42 participants from India affiliated to leading research institutions in both countries participated. The outcomes of the seminar included defining short term and long term objectives and identifying priority areas of research within the NIPI context. This call for proposals is based on the seminar discussions (a workshop report will be published on the Embassy Website for reference shortly).
Main Principles for Operations Research
• Focus on strategies//interventions that are innovative or catalytic within the context of NIPI.
• Focus on strategies/interventions that may lead to effective implementation and management, both technical and financial, within NIPI, with the potential for subsequent scale up.
• Should reflect the specific needs of the initiative at the same time have relevance for Reproductive and child health (RCH-II) and National Rural Health Mission.
Application process
• PROPOSALS TO BE SUBMITTED TO The Royal Norwegian Embassy (RNE), NEW DELHI LATEST BY 15TH APRIL 2009
• EXPERTS WILL REVIEW PROPOSALS BY EARLY MAY
• ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MEET IN THE SECOND HALF OF MAY AND AWARD THE GRANTS BASED ON EXPERTS REVIEW.
• ROYAL NORWEGIAN EMBASSY WILL COMMENCE DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS BY JUNE 2009
Norwegian and Indian Institutions are requested to send their applications in English according to guidelines given below
Essential Criterias
Geographic Area: All proposed studies must be conducted in one or more of the following 5 States of India; Rajasthan, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Partnerships: Applications must have a minimum of two institutions; one from India and one from Norway, but consortiums of more than two institutions are encouraged (Letters of intent for collaboration must be attached).
Time Period: The time period for conducting these studies will be a maximum of 3 years starting at the latest by August 2009.
Funding: Total funding available is 15 million NOK (2.1 million USD), cost efficient studies are preferable. In exceptional cases, where justified, the funding ceiling for an individual project will be upto 5 million NOK but not exceeding this amount.
Thematic Areas: Applications must be within the thematic areas mentioned below and applicants are requested to indicate the thematic area clearly when applying.
Thematic Areas
1. Innovations/Interventions supported by NIPI
• Studies/Assessments of the institutional new borne aide (Yashoda/Mamta) initiative
• Studies/Assessments of the Home Based newborn and Child Care Approach through Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs).
• Assessment of the Techno-Managerial Support within NIPI
2. Issues and Strategies/Interventions for New-born and Child Health implemented under the RCH-II (Reproductive Child Health –II) / relevant for achieving MDG 4/5 in India such as
• Assessment of Continuum of Care approach, from Home/Community based care (Integrated Management of New Born and Childhood Illness/Home Based Neonatal Care) through link workers (Aanganwadi workers/ASHAs) to Facility based care of the sick new borns (through facility based Sick New Borne Care Units) and the referral systems.
• Epidemiology; Neonatal, Infant and Child mortality in NIPI focus states.
• Studies related to various aspects of infant and child nutrition.
• Studies related to gender and equity within the RCH-II/NIPI context.
3. Initiatives/strategies within NRHM (National Rural Health Mission), relevant for Maternal and Child Health such as
• Use of Mobile IT Technology for service delivery, information flow and payments.
• Link workers (ASHAs/ Aanganwadi workers) and Linkages between the different link workers/ basic health functionaries.
• Long term Initiatives:Vital Registration/Population Cohorts
• Role of Community in Health Interventions (Communitization).
• Needs and concerns that affect day-to-day practice of culturally appropriate care at the clinical, organizational and community level
• Ethnographic Studies
Note: The specific topics outlined under each thematic area are indicative but not exclusive.
Types of Studies: Best suited to answer the research questions, includes both quantitative and qualitative methods.
COMPULSORY FORMAT FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS
(Not to Exceed 10 Pages)
1. PROJECT TITLE
2. PROJECT MANAGERS
• INDIAN
• NORWEGIAN
3. COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS (a minimum of two institutions one from India and one from Norway but consortiums of more than two institutions are encouraged)
4. ABSTRACT/SYNOPSIS (not to exceed 500 words)
5. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND (should include a rationale/relevance for the NRHM/NIPI program)
6. RESEARCH TASKS
7. MAIN OBJECTIVES/SUB OBJECTIVES
8. RESEARCH APPROACH, METHODS
8. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
9. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION/ OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
10. PROGRESS PLAN – MILESTONES
11. BUDGET - COSTS INCURRED BY EACH RESEARCH PARTNER
12. REFERENCES
Contact person at The Royal Norwegian Embassy is Jan Håkon Olsson and Dr Bernadette Kumar.
Mail to: emb.newdelhi@mfa.no