Listening first: what we heard from the health team in Phagi

Before planning a single session, we went to the people who already run health care in Phagi block. We met the Block CMO, a PHC doctor, ANMs, the Phagi medical officer and the gynaecologist at the Sub-District Hospital. Everyone was supportive, and the Block CMO asked us to start in Nimeda, where 34 ASHA workers serve a population of 40,000 to 50,000.

The Block CMO also told us what worries him about groups like ours: many come to educate women, then leave, and nothing measurable changes. We took that as a design rule. We will work through the ASHA workers who are already there, and we will track whether women actually reach care, not only how many we meet.

Next, we meet the ASHA workers and the PHC doctor in Nimeda, and begin recording basic health information for the women in their areas.