There is a greater demand for health programs and interventions which are more cost-effective, accessible, equitable and sensitive to regional, cultural differences from the client and service providers’ side. With the advancement of technological revolution and increased usage of IT, there is a strong sense of belief that innovations can play a bigger role and find solutions to such challenges arising in the health sector.

NHM, Odisha with the support of NIPI makes a sustained effort to make the process of innovations more democratic, participatory and systematic. With consistent advocacy from NIPI, NHM Odisha has made provision of Rs 8 cr in PIP 2021-22 for innovation. A virtual orientation workshop was organized on 19.11.2020 by NIPI with the support from NHM where NIPI presented steps and processes of writing innovation proposals. As result of this, 9 proposals from various districts and program divisions were received by the State Innovation Secretariat.

To take the entire process of institutionalising innovation to the next higher level, State Innovation-cum-Scrutiny Advisory (SISA) committee meeting was held on 08.03,21 under the Chairmanship of Team Leader, SHSRC in which NIPI team oriented the members of SISA committee on the process of evaluation of proposals scientifically as per the criteria. The Innovation Secretariat with the support from the NIPI national team had developed an evaluation matrix so that objectivity, transparency and uniformity is achieved in the entire process of evaluation. Each proposal was evaluated on 5 components like a) Innovation b) Sustained impact c) Execution Plan d) Evaluation Plan and e) Team Capacity/Partnerships and after evaluation out of 9 proposals 4 proposals were recommended by SISA Committee for approval of Programme Committee, 3 proposals were kept pended for further clarification and 2 were rejected.

Programme Committee meeting headed by MD NHM with all the directors was held on 18^th March 2021and Committee discussed in detail all four proposals recommended by SISA committee and approved for their implementation. Innovation proposals which were approved are “Decision Support System” for Community Health Officers at Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) at Mayurbhanj district, Execution of FPC-KMC in hard to reach areas by PHC New management projects under PPP mode in Odisha, Improving access and coverage of cervical cancer screening through home-based HPV testing in Urban slum areas of Bhubaneswar Municipality Corporation, Khurda District, Odisha and Setting up of the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Park at UPHC Ambapua.