Swasti, The Health Catalyst

Join us as we take a look into the year that has been (2023-24)! Swasti has made significant strides in improving public health and well-being through 37 projects, reaching over 41 million individuals. Our focus on addressing climate change, promoting health equity, and providing essential healthcare services has been quintessential in our efforts to add a 100 million healthy days to the lives of the most vulnerable. Stay tuned for snapshots of all of our projects of the previous financial year! #SwastiYearInReview #PublicHealth #ClimateAction #CommunityHealth

What drives happiness is not a mystery. The World Happiness Report consistently identifies health, income, and social support as core determinants of well-being, with health playing a foundational role. At the same time, @WHO data shows that while global life expectancy has increased, gains in healthy life expectancy have not kept pace. Which raises a critical point - happiness cannot be separated from health. Without access to care, nutrition, and stable systems, well-being becomes uneven: available to some, out of reach for others. This #InternationalDayofHappiness, “choose happiness” is not a strategy. Building #equitable health systems is.

The “Superwoman” label can come at a health and wellbeing cost. As part of our International Women’s Day campaign #ActionWithWomen, we highlight an important conversation on women’s health. In this feature by Live Hindustan, Dr. Angela Chaudhuri, CEO of Swasti, The Health Catalyst, explains why the expectation for women to constantly juggle multiple roles can impact their physical and mental health. Recognising these pressures is an important step toward creating environments where women’s wellbeing is prioritised. Read the full feature: livehindustan.com/lifestyle/heal… #ForAllWomenAndGirls #AccelerateAction #InternationalWomensDay #Swasti

Podcast Alert | Climate Charche When we talk about #climatechange, we’re also talking about health. About the heat people work through. The air people breathe. The stress communities carry when systems don’t respond fast enough. In this episode of Climate Charche featuring Sukanya R, Program manager, Swasti, the conversation brings together on-ground realities and system-level thinking around how climate change is already impacting people's health, and what it will take to respond meaningfully. At Swasti, this is where we work: strengthening community systems, enabling health systems, and supporting responses that keep people at the centre. 🎧 Watch the full episode here: youtube.com/watch?v=ptEG1h… #ClimateAndHealth #PublicHealth #CommunityHealth #UrbanHealth #SystemsChange #SwastiSpeaks

On #NationalVaccinationDay, we recognise the Government of India’s leadership in building and sustaining one of the world’s largest immunisation programmes. From the Pulse Polio campaign to the Universal Immunisation Programme, India’s #vaccination efforts today reach over 26 million infants and 29 million pregnant women every year, protecting millions of families from preventable diseases. Ensuring vaccines reach everyone, however, also requires strong community systems; trusted frontline workers, local partnerships, and communication that helps address hesitancy and barriers to access. At Swasti, our work has focused on supporting these last-mile efforts. Through initiatives such as #COVIDActionCollab, we worked with civil society and community networks across the country to strengthen outreach, improve vaccine confidence, and support vaccination access among underserved populations including informal workers, migrants, and other marginalised groups. Because immunisation succeeds not only through vaccines and policy, but through community trust and systems that ensure no one is left behind. #NationalVaccinationDay #Immunisation #PublicHealth #PrimaryHealthcare #HealthEquityNow

This International Women’s Day, Dr. Angela Chaudhuri, CEO of Swasti, The Health Catalyst, reflected on what it takes to catalyse large-scale impact in global public health in a #womensday special feature by @WomansEra Magazine. Over the past two decades, her work has helped mobilise over USD 1.7 billion for public health initiatives across 15 countries, supporting programmes that strengthen health systems, expand community-led responses, and improve access to care. At Swasti, this work is rooted in a simple principle: lasting change happens when communities, institutions, and systems work together to solve complex health challenges. From community-driven health initiatives to innovations that strengthen disease surveillance and primary healthcare, the focus remains the same: building systems that are responsive, resilient, and inclusive. Read the full feature: womansera.com/dr-angela-chau… #InternationalWomensDay #AccelerateAction #WomenInPublicHealth #HealthSystemsLeadership

Health systems cannot work for everyone if they don’t work for women. This #internationalwomensday we recognise the contribution of women in the health workforce. In India, women make up about one-third of the #healthworkforce, but they are often concentrated in lower-paid, lower-status roles while leadership positions remain largely male-dominated. This imbalance has real consequences. When the people delivering care are undervalued, unsupported, or excluded from decision-making, the entire health system loses strength. Women frontline workers are often the ones who: • bring healthcare into communities • connect families to services • ensure programmes reach the last mile Yet their contributions are frequently under-recognised and under-supported. If we are serious about #universalhealthcoverage, we must accelerate action to build health systems where women are supported, valued, and able to lead. Because without #genderequity in the health workforce, universal health coverage will remain out of reach. 🔗 Read more: swasti.org/knowledgebase/…

This #internationalwomensday let us look at gender-based violence as a public health crisis. This survivor story published by @YourStoryCo highlights the long and difficult journey of a woman who broke free from domestic violence and rebuilt her life. Violence has deep health consequences: trauma, chronic stress, mental health impacts, and barriers to accessing healthcare. This is why public health responses must work alongside social protection systems, legal support, and community networks. Ending violence is about health, safety, and the ability to live with dignity. Read the story here: yourstory.com/socialstory/20… #EndGenderViolence #HealthEquity #CommunityHealth

Anaemia remains one of India’s most persistent public health challenges. But behind every statistic is a story of #resilience. This #InternationalWomensDay, we highlight a story from @YourStoryCo , where Ananda Jothi shares her journey of overcoming severe anaemia and rebuilding her health through awareness, care, and support. India continues to carry a high burden of anaemia among women. Addressing it requires more than supplements. It needs sustained behaviour change, community engagement, and culturally relevant communication. When women understand their bodies, recognise symptoms early, and access care without stigma, the cycle begins to shift. #Publichealth progress is built on these everyday victories. Read the full story: yourstory.com/.../survivor-s…... #AnaemiaAwareness #WomenHealth #PublicHealthCommunication #ActionWithWomen

#Healthsystems are only as strong as the #communities they include. A powerful story featured in @thebetterindia follows a woman from Karnataka who was forced into sex work and later became a leader helping hundreds of women fight violence and reclaim their rights. Stories like these remind us of something fundamental: public health doesn’t begin in hospitals - it begins with dignity, safety, and community leadership. Across India, community-led networks of sex workers are improving access to HIV services, mental health support, and violence prevention. When lived experience leads the response, systems become more responsive. At Swasti, we’ve seen the same truth repeatedly: when communities organise, health outcomes follow. Read the story here: thebetterindia.com/315650/forced-… #CommunityLeadership #PublicHealth #EquityInHealth #InternationalWomensDay #Actionwithwomen

Women’s health strengthens systems. In this feature in @htTweets , Dr. Angela Chaudhuri, CEO of Swasti, The Health Catalyst, reflects on a simple but urgent reality: when women’s health is overlooked, the consequences extend far beyond individuals. Across many settings, women face barriers to timely diagnosis, preventive care, and treatment, even while carrying a disproportionate share of care responsibilities within families and communities. Evidence from India highlights the scale of the challenge. According to NFHS-5, nearly 57% of women aged 15–49 are anaemic, a condition that affects energy levels, productivity, and maternal health outcomes. Addressing these gaps requires stronger primary healthcare, community engagement, and systems that respond to women’s needs across the life course. Accelerating action on women’s health is essential to building healthier families, stronger communities, and more responsive health systems. Read the full feature: hindustantimes.com/ht-insight/gen… #ForAllWomenAndGirls #AccelerateAction #InternationalWomensDay #Swasti

Access. Opportunity. Action. This International Women’s Day, we focus on the steps that move systems forward, ensuring women have access to resources, opportunities to lead, and the space to act. Women are already shaping stronger communities, workplaces, farms, businesses, and support systems. When women are recognised, supported, and included, the impact goes far beyond individuals; it strengthens entire systems. This week, we are sharing stories and insights from our work that highlight how women are driving change where it matters most. #ActionWithWomen #InternationalWomensDay #Catalysts

As our Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Campaign continues, it is important to recognise that menstrual health conversations often begin, and succeed at the community level. In this blog, “The Ripple Effect of Awareness: Frontline Voices on Menstrual Health in India,” frontline practitioners share what it takes to break the silence around #menstruation, challenge harmful myths, and create safe spaces for women and girls to talk about their bodies and health. From workplaces to communities, these conversations are often led by health educators and frontline health workers who translate complex health information into practical, relatable knowledge. Their work shows that awareness is not just about information; it is about trust, dialogue, and sustained engagement. Strengthening menstrual health requires listening to the people working closest to communities and supporting the systems that enable these conversations to happen. Read the full blog: 🔗 swasti.org/knowledgebase/… #SRHAwareness #MenstrualHealth #SexualReproductiveHealth #PublicHealth #LifeCourseHealth #CommunityHealth

📣 Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Campaign ➡️ Maternal health must be examined within the realities of climate volatility. In @BWBusinessworld Healthcare World, Dr. Anuja Tripathi(PhD), Swasti The Health Catalyst, outlines how rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental instability are increasing risks during pregnancy. Heat exposure, water scarcity, disrupted services, and livelihood stress are associated with adverse outcomes, including hypertensive disorders, pre-term birth, and low birth weight. These are not isolated clinical events; in fact, they are shaped by environmental conditions and system readiness. Sexual & Reproductive Health is life-course health. Strengthening maternal outcomes requires integrating climate resilience into antenatal care, primary health systems, and community-level preparedness. Read the full article: 🔗 bwhealthcareworld.com/article/the-si… #SRHAwareness #SexualReproductiveHealth #MaternalHealth #ClimateAndHealth #PublicHealth #LifeCourseHealth

As Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Month continues, it is important to recognise that rising temperatures are not only an environmental concern, they are a reproductive health concern. In her feature for The Financial Express (India), Shama Karkal, Partner at Swasti The Health Catalyst, highlights how #increasingheat exposure raises risks for pregnant women, including dehydration, heat stress, hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term birth, and low birth weight. Pregnancy alters thermoregulation, making women physiologically more vulnerable to extreme heat. When combined with limited access to cooling, safe work conditions, water, and responsive antenatal care, climate stress becomes a direct maternal health risk. Sexual & Reproductive Health is life-course health, and climate resilience must be integrated into maternal care, risk communication, and health system preparedness. Read the full feature: 🔗 financialexpress.com/healthcare/new… #SRHAwareness #SexualReproductiveHealth #MaternalHealth #ClimateAndHealth #HeatStress #PublicHealth

As Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Month continues, one reality remains: menstrual health cannot be treated as a siloed issue. In her piece for @BWBusinessworld Healthcare World, Dr Syama B Syam, Associate Director & Lead - Evidence to Impact, Swasti The Health Catalyst, writes: “Menstrual health cannot be treated as a standalone issue if we are serious about advancing sexual and reproductive wellbeing.” Across India, menstrual health efforts often focus on products or awareness drives but the deeper gaps lie in systems: primary care integration, adolescent health services, social norms, financing, and continuity of care across the life course. Sexual & Reproductive Health is life-course health. Addressing it requires connecting care, context, and wellbeing. Read the full article to understand what’s missing and what must shift. 🔗 bwhealthcareworld.com/article/whats-… #SRHAwareness #SexualReproductiveHealth #LifeCourseHealth #MenstrualHealth #PublicHealth #SystemsThinking

Celebrating Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Month! Sexual & Reproductive Health is a life-course health issue. For the next 10 days, follow us as we explore SRH through evidence, field experience, and systems thinking - connecting care, context, and wellbeing. Follow us for insights on SRH beyond periods, stigma, and single-issue framing. #SRHAwareness

We seed everyday #climateaction that protects health and homes. As heat intensifies, seasons shift, and rainfall patterns grow more unpredictable, Swasti’s Climate and Health work focuses on equipping people and systems to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to climate risks. Our efforts span internal capacity building, programme integration, government partnerships, and frontline tools that bring resilience closer to communities. The Bali Climate-Health Resilience Hub, located in the Kura Kura Bali Special Economic Zone and stewarded by the Health Innovation Exchange - HIEx, advances this systems approach at a regional scale. The Hub operates as a platform for testing and scaling solutions across heat resilience, disaster-ready health services, and vector-borne disease control. Its model integrates AI forecasting, interoperable data systems, infrastructure planning, policy alignment, and community-level prevention, converting climate risk intelligence into operational readiness. The initiative is structured to support ASEAN coordination, data governance, and the development of a climate-health innovation workforce through regional partnerships and academic collaboration. Featured in the official G7 Canada Review, read here: issuu.com/g20magazine/do…

#Update The Government of Andhra Pradesh’s AWARE platform marks an important step forward in real-time surveillance of seasonal diseases. By integrating multiple administrative and health data streams, AWARE enables continuous monitoring to support faster public health response. Building on these existing integrations, the Precision Health Platform team at Swasti has developed predictive analytics capabilities that strengthen the platform’s #earlywarning potential. Using 3–4 years of historical disease surveillance data, combined with weather variables and land-use patterns, this predictive layer complements descriptive monitoring by anticipating disease risk before case loads rise. The models help: 1. Identify historical disease trends 2. Surface environmental and climatic drivers linked to increased transmission 3. Translate patterns into forward-looking risk signals When aligned with AWARE’s real-time data infrastructure, these insights support: 1. Earlier identification of emerging hotspots 2. More targeted field interventions 3. Faster, better-informed decision making Together, this approach enables strengthening #preparedness and reducing the impact of seasonal disease outbreaks. Read more about the AWARE platform rollout: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawad…

The Department of Health, Medical & Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh, is convening a focused policy session on “MedTech & AI Innovations in Public Health Systems” at the India AI Global Summit 2026. The session is designed as a structured dialogue to examine how Artificial Intelligence can move beyond pilots and be institutionalised within public health architecture. The discussion will address predictive surveillance, AI-assisted diagnostics, operational intelligence in supply chains and workforce deployment, primary care integration, prevention and behaviour change, and the governance frameworks required for responsible scale-up. The panel brings together senior policymakers and sector leaders: 1. Shri Saurabh Gaur, IAS., Secretary, Health, Medical & Family Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh 2. Shri Saurabh Jain, IAS., Joint Secretary (Policy), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India @MoHFW_INDIA 3. Mr. Shiv Kumar, Founder & Chief Mentor, @SwastiHC 4. Dr. Rakesh Kalapala, Director of Endoscopy, Centre for Obesity & Metabolic Therapy, @AIGHospitals, Hyderabad 5. Ms. Saraswathi Padmanabhan, Head – Public Primary Care Initiatives, Tata Medical & Diagnostics (Tata MD) 6. Mr. Suhel Bidani, Lead – Digital & AI, @BMGFIndia 7. Mr. Sanjay Seth, Founder Trustee, @SambandhPublic 📍 L1 Meeting Room 16, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi 🗓 20 February 2026 🕒 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM The session will also be available to watch online - youtube.com/live/IyIGhD-s9… #IndiaAISummit #PublicHealthSystems #MedTech #AI #HealthGovernance

This World Cancer Day, it’s important to move beyond awareness alone. Evidence consistently shows that early detection improves outcomes, but only when people can access testing, screening, and timely referral. Cancer prevention depends on: a) accessible screening services b) clear referral pathways c) trusted health providers d) information that leads to action If screening is available to you, consider speaking to a healthcare provider about appropriate tests. If you work in public health or healthcare, strengthening pathways to early diagnosis remains a critical priority. #WorldCancerDay #CancerPrevention #EarlyDetection #PublicHealth