A high level delegation from Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), visited India in the month of September, 2023 to evaluate the results achieved during phase 3 from 2018 to 2023. As part of the evaluation a field visit was conducted in District Alwar, Rajasthan one of the NIPI supported states. The purpose of the evaluation was get primary information from all the stakeholders and beneficiaries under NIPI supported interventions and understand their effectiveness and impact of NIPI activities. The delegation from Norad comprised and independent review team with officials from Royal Norwegian Embassy and NIPI national team.

The delegation visited Alwar District Hospital, to observe the functioning of Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU), family Participatory Care (FPC), Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT) and Human Milk Bank. The delegation interacted with the doctors, nurses, paramedical workers, programme managers and community members and discussed innovations, digital tools, Child and Maternal Health interventions supported under NIPI phase 3. Rajasthan has successfully scaled up Home Based Care for Young Child (HBYC), FPC, ETAT and Labour room Quality of Care intervention LaQshya. Rajasthan has also established Innovation Hub and organized Innovation Summits and workshops. The team evaluated the various documentation and reports of the various initiatives undertaken by the NIPI project.

Delegation team interacted with parents, their attendants and families of the Newborn admitted in the SNCUs, received FPC & ETAT services and got first-hand information on the effectiveness and importance of these NIPI supported interventions and how these interventions are contributing towards newborn and child health in the State of Rajasthan.