Beneficiary verification and feedback empowers access to health services in Karnataka (English)

This Results Profile talks about beneficiary verification and feedback, empowers access to health services in Karnataka. Effective project feedback mechanisms and mobile technology in the Karnataka Beneficiary Verification System are profoundly changing... See More + This Results Profile talks about beneficiary verification and feedback, empowers access to health services in Karnataka. Effective project feedback mechanisms and mobile technology in the Karnataka Beneficiary Verification System are profoundly changing the quality of public health services in this Indian state. Under this new system, the local public health officials are better able to monitor service delivery, evaluate beneficiary experience, identify service delivery gaps, and respond promptly to concerns such as supply shortages, lack of community involvement, and needs for further training. In the 2000s, the government of Karnataka took a series of steps to improve basic health among its vulnerable groups and help meet India’s Millennium Development Goals to reduce maternal and child mortality by creating an independent health task force, setting health-related human development targets, and crafting a new health sector policy. Expecting mothers receive a photo ID and smart card. When they receive services, the community health worker scans the smart card using the hand-held device and enters any data or feedback on the services provided. Community health workers then use hand-held devices to record data on services provided, with acknowledgement from beneficiaries, as well as collect feedback from pregnant mothers about the services they received or to report problems. The World Bank and the Karnataka state government are developing plans to replicate this pilot project across the state of Karnataka and expand its reach to cover approximately one million beneficiaries.  See Less -