There are high rates of maternal, infant and child mortality and malnutrition in India. Improving the health of women and children is paramount for India to attain Millennium Development Goals.

The goal of MCH-STAR is to improve Maternal, Neonatal and Child health and Nutrition (MNCHN) in India among poor and underserved populations through effective programs that address priority issues and are guided by appropriate policies.

MCH-STAR will help India improve policies, program approaches and resource allocations via institutions that specialize in MNCHN technical leadership and services, policy and advocacy. It will provide high-level MNCHN technical inputs for effective policies and implementation of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

The project is:

• Providing responsive technical assistance;
• Conducting applied, operations and policy research and program evaluations;
• Conducting policy analyses and writing white papers; and
• Building the capacity of leading public health institutions to carry out activities listed above on a sustainable basis.