Working with Existing Systems: Lessons from INHP

Engaging and strengthening the ICDS and Health programs of the government was a major approach of the two component projects under the RACHNA program, INHP-II and Chayan. Of the two, the INHP interventions reached massive scale primarily through the ICDS program and were subject to a large number of assessments. This provides an opportunity to study and understand what it takes an external catalyst approach, such as the one that INHP adopted, to help national programs achieve effectiveness at scale. This paper describes how the INHP learnt and evolved in its strategies in engaging existing public health systems, what results were achieved over the project period, and what lessons the entire experience holds for similar future efforts. [CARE WP No. 10].