In India maternal and child mortality and HIV infection rates remain high. Addressing these health challenges requires access to appropriate, high quality health technologies. It also requires adequate channels to supply these technologies to the public and a public desire to use them.

USAID acted as a catalyst for expanding access to health technologies in India through its Program for the Advancement of Commercial Technology - Child and Reproductive Health (PACT-CRH). The project supported the introduction and commercialization of new Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) and HIV/AIDS technologies and improved quality and use of private sector, RCH and HIV/AIDS products and services. The program took a two-pronged approach: it helped the private sector develop the capabilities to supply these products and services; and created public demand for products and services through marketing and behavior-change communication activities.

To achieve this, PACT-CRH:

• Supported private health enterprises through technical support, loans and grants, provided them with the expertise and capital to develop life-saving technologies locally, engaged in technology transfers, and expanded marketing and distribution activities
• Improved quality control for health products such as condoms, intra-uterine devises, and oral rehydration salts so people have access to the most effective products on the market
• Enhanced provider and public knowledge and demand for health technologies
• Increased consumer use of affordable, accessible products such as Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) and zinc that can save children from death due to diarrhea related causes (a major killer of children), oral contraceptive pills that allow couples to plan pregnancies, and condoms to protect against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. In fact the condom campaign under the program Bindaas Bol (Just Say It), was awarded the ad industry's highest honor, the Grand Effie Awards, for the most effective advertising campaign in 2007. The innovative, multi-faceted campaign that addressed the stigma surrounding condom use also won the United Nations Grand Award for Communications excellence.
• Contributed to improved policy and regulatory changes in the private sector for the commercialization and delivery of new technologies and products related to reproductive and child health.