Adolescent peer educator app
Key information
- Organisation: MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child
- Country: India
- Region: Asia and the Pacific
- Stage of innovation: Stage 6: In the market and ready to scale
- Start date: 2022
- End date: 2023
- Type of innovation: Conceptual innovation: new ways of looking at problems, challenging assumptions, or both
Summary of intervention
The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the National Adolescent Health Programme — Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram — in 2014. Adolescent peer educators are pivotal to the programme’s success, imparting knowledge and advocating health-seeking through group sessions and referrals to health facilities. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of many of the peer educators’ educational activities, at the same time as concerns about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), mental health, and gender-based violence were escalating among young people.
In response, in March 2023, MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child developed the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram Peer Educator app. Through the app, adolescent peer educators now conduct group sessions in rural areas covering topics including SRHR, violence prevention, substance misuse, non-communicable diseases, mental health, and nutrition. The app also includes a Knowledge Hub, details of services, a referral system, games and quizzes.
Previously, the peer educators did not report data so their work on the ground was not recognised, and national and state funds spent on the national adolescent health programme were not linked to the national system. Now, real-time data relating to the important work of peer educators is available across various states. The app — available in Hindi and English — has been launched in nine states, all of which have committed to its integration. Three states have undertaken pilot training on the app and rolled it out to existing peers. A significant number of adolescents (32,518) attended weekly sessions, demonstrating the widespread impact of the app in reaching and engaging adolescents in crucial health-related discussions.
learnings
Despite its success, there is very little funding to take this app to scale, and currently, roll-out and training are virtual, which is challenging. However, should funding become available, the team from MAMTA will travel to physically train and roll-out the application across additional states.
next steps
The next phase involves rolling out the app in an additional 20 states and translating it into further Indian languages.
sustainability
The Government, particularly the Adolescent Health Department, shows tremendous leadership and readiness to promote digital technology and has incorporated the app into the national system. This is positive for the future sustainability of the app. Currently, Mamta is awaiting government approval for expansion into further states.
Check out the app on the Google Play Store HERE.