December Update: Expanding Access, Shaping Markets, and Tackling Global Health Challenges
Nivi, Inc.
Creating healthier futures for all through technology, design, and behavioral science
Founder’s Note
I’m delighted to reconnect with you through the latest edition of the Nivi Newsletter! This month, in addition to sharing updates from our work in India, Kenya, and Nigeria, we’re introducing a new segment on global health policy developments. Each issue will now bring you insights into policy trends and innovations that have the potential to advance health outcomes in the communities we serve. We aim to keep you informed on the broader landscape as we work to expand access and shape health markets for the next billion health consumers.
This month, we’re closely monitoring several pivotal policy changes. Following the US presidential elections, global health funding could face substantial cuts, potentially impacting programs worldwide, particularly reproductive health. In India, proposed policy changes may make emergency contraceptives prescription-only, posing new challenges to accessing reproductive care. Additionally, India’s new QR code mandate on vaccines marks a vital step toward curbing counterfeit products and improving vaccine safety, with plans to extend this requirement across other medical products.
On the askNivi front, I’m thrilled to share that over 4.2 million users have created accounts on askNivi globally, with 1.9 million of those actively engaging in our health journeys, including over 1.1 million users in India alone. Growing numbers of users reflect our ongoing efforts to shape markets and broaden access to family planning resources, support women and couples through pregnancy and new parenthood, promote primary healthcare uptake, and raise awareness around critical issues like HPV and cervical cancer. The growth in engaged users speaks to the essential role of trusted health information and askNivi’s positive impact on health markets by helping individuals make informed health choices.
In this issue, you’ll find updates on our Maternal Health initiative in India, where our e-SAATHI partnership in Assam is expanding to Madhya Pradesh. We’re also sharing insights from our recent family planning work in Nigeria’s Ebonyi state and Federal Capital Territory, where Nivi’s family planning (FP) journey provides valuable insights into preferences, attitudes, and barriers to contraceptive uptake. Lastly, we highlight our collaboration with the Society for Family Health (SFH) Nigeria under the IntegratE program, where we have connected over 165,000 health consumers to trusted health information and referrals on multiple health journeys.
I hope these updates are informative, and we’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
What we’re following:
US Presidential Elections 2024
With the US presidential election results, experts believe there will likely be cuts to critical global health funding. If enacted, these cuts will make building resilient health ecosystems that operate effectively, regardless of shifting development partner priorities and policies, even more important.
Nivi views public-private partnerships and private sector-led demand generation as essential to creating resilient, independent health systems. By fostering consumers’ informed engagement and demand, these models can ensure sustainable health outcomes for communities while enabling organizations to reinvest in public health. Through collaborative partnerships, private organizations can support public and private health systems to be more adaptable, locally driven, and capable of advancing public health goals even in changing funding climates.
India’s ban on OTC sale of hormonal contraceptives
In September 2023, the Tamil Nadu government proposed a ban on the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of hormonal contraceptives, highlighting concerns about “irrational usage.”
Almost a year later, this issue is taking a national stage. The Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) formed a six-member expert subcommittee to review the proposal.?In early October 2024, news reports suggested that the committee may recommend a ban on OTC contraceptive sales. Such a move would likely reverse two decades of progress in women’s reproductive health, negatively affecting autonomy and access to reproductive choices that many have come to rely on.
This development speaks to the need for a balanced approach prioritizes education and accessibility. Rather than reducing OTC access, experts advocate for increasing awareness and “informed consumer” programs through public-private partnerships. Such sustainable models can support India’s reproductive health ecosystem, allowing women to make informed choices and helping organizations positively impact public health.
India’s move to tackle counterfeit vaccines by making QR codes mandatory
The Government of India has made QR codes mandatory on all vaccines to prevent counterfeits and validate their authenticity; the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) released a statement on October 10, 2024.
We commend and support the recent mandate of the DCGI (Drug Controller General of India) to introduce QR codes on all vaccine packaging. This move will help protect consumers from counterfeit products, a growing concern in India’s healthcare sector. By making QR codes mandatory, the government is taking a necessary step to ensure the authenticity of vaccines and improve safety. This initiative, led by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), is backed by a rigorous compliance campaign with strict penalties for non-compliance. Over the past two years, the DCGI has taken decisive action against offenders, reinforcing the message that counterfeiting will not be tolerated.
Updates from askNivi Journeys
Expansion of askNivi Maternal Health Journey into Madhya Pradesh
In October, Nivi, along with its partners Population Council Consulting and Sitaram Bharti Institute of Science and Research, secured approval from the State Medical Director at the National Health Mission (MD NHM) to introduce the askNivi Maternal Health (MH) Journey in two public and one private health facility in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Pregnant women and couples can now be onboard by scanning QR codes from standees and banners at Hamidia Hospital, Dr.Kailashnath Katju Hospital, and Apple Hospital, Bhopal..
This expansion is a key milestone in our ongoing commitment to improving maternal health systems by supporting women through pregnancy and beyond by providing personalized health information to pregnant women, new mothers, and couples, helping them confidently navigate pregnancy and the postpartum period, make informed choices, and improve overall health outcomes. While this expansion is significant, it constitutes only the initial phase in our endeavor to extend our reach to a more substantial number of public and private hospitals nationwide and, ultimately, to enhance maternal health outcomes for the entire population.
领英推荐
Empowering Family Planning Choices in Nigeria
Nivi is passionate about transforming health outcomes through informed decision-making. Family planning is a critical component of this mission. The askNivi platform aims to understand diverse user needs and address barriers through partnerships, AI, and behavioral coaching. In October, Nivi partnered with FHM Engage to gather insights on family planning preferences and barriers in Ebonyi State and Nigeria's FCT. The askNivi FP Journey, available in English and Hausa, collected data from over 4000 individuals that can inform healthcare and public policy stakeholders, complementing existing data like the DHS surveys.
Preventing pregnancy is the core need for exploring askNivi
Nivi’s Insights, generated from health consumer interactions with askNivi, revealed that pregnancy prevention is the most common reason users engage with family planning content. While many consumers show interest in FP methods, not all are ready to act. Among those with low intent, short-acting methods are the most explored (39%), followed by LARCs (30%). Women show slightly more curiosity about short-acting methods (40% vs. 37% for men), while men explore LARCs more (32% vs. 29%). Younger consumers (15–24) tend to explore short-acting methods (44%), while older groups (30+) show greater interest in permanent methods (23%). Rural consumers are more likely to explore short-acting methods (51% vs. 38% in urban areas), likely reflecting differences in access and awareness of contraceptive options.
Concerns about side effects continue to be a key barrier to uptake.
A majority of askNivi users cite concerns about side effects as a key barrier to adopting contraceptive methods, with women (76%) more concerned than men (55%). Older users (30+) report higher worry (77%) compared to younger groups (62% for 15–24, 66% for 25–29). Concern levels are consistent across urban and rural users, highlighting this as a universal issue.
Other barriers include social pressure, cost, lack of transport, and fear of judgment. Rural users report higher cost concerns than urban users, emphasizing the need to expand affordable, localized FP services in rural areas.
In Kenya, the method mix is dominated by the implant and the injectable (Track20 report). However, Nivi shows that users have more diverse interests in methods if concerns about side effects, cost, and social pressures, including fear of judgment, can be addressed. Through its FP journey, askNivi can help address those concerns and improve convenience.
Nivi’s FP Insights Report from Nigeria uncovers real-time trends, such as the method information index, contraceptive exploration, and service point choices. Contact us at [email protected] to explore how these insights can help you uncover opportunities or address specific questions.
Nivi and SFH complete a third year of engagement in the IntegratE project.
Led by the Society of Family Health (SFH) and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and MSD for Mothers, IntegratE has been instrumental in supporting Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health in piloting a tiered accreditation system under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria since 2017. Since its first phase in Lagos and Kaduna, the project has expanded to 11 states, providing invaluable family planning and healthcare support.
We are happy to share recent achievements in this ongoing partnership with the IntegratE project. The interactive chatbot empowers consumers in English and Hausa with accessible, accurate information and referrals to local healthcare services, helping them make informed health decisions.
Since its start, the IntegratE project has reached impressive milestones:
Nivi remains committed to advancing accessible healthcare through data-driven insights and strategic partnerships, empowering communities to make informed health choices, and supporting universal healthcare goals. Together, we’re building resilient health systems dedicated to a healthier future for all, working toward Universal Health Coverage for the populations we serve today and those we will reach tomorrow.
That’s a wrap for the December 2024 edition of the Nivi Newsletter! We hope you found the updates, insights, and news valuable. If you did, we’d love for you to share it with your network. We always enjoy hearing from our readers, so if you have feedback or would like to connect, don’t hesitate to drop us a note—we’d be delighted to chat!
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year,
Shubham Grover