Mizoram’s Lunglei district has received national recognition for its pioneering maternal and child health program, Project BLOOM, which was featured among India’s top 19 best practices at a seminar organized by NITI Aayog in New Delhi on Friday.
The seminar, themed “Transforming Health: Breakthrough Interventions,” brought together success stories from 329 aspirational districts and 500 aspirational blocks across the country. Lunglei Deputy Commissioner Navneet Mann presented Project BLOOM — Better Living through Outreach, Optimal Maternal and Child Health — to an audience comprising policymakers, development experts, and health officials.
Targeting maternal and child health challenges
Launched on June 17, 2023, the initiative focuses on the Lungsen aspirational block, a region long affected by poor maternal and child health indicators. Geographical isolation, high logistical costs, poor internet access, and limited awareness have made healthcare delivery in the area exceptionally difficult.
Project BLOOM uses a community-driven approach that integrates services across health, nutrition, transport, and behavioral change sectors. The strategy is built on inter-departmental collaboration and grassroots-level engagement, making it both inclusive and sustainable.
Key interventions under project BLOOM
One of the standout features of the initiative is an on-call transport service, which prioritizes high-risk pregnancies and ensures timely referral and transport from remote villages to the district hospital. To address the issue of access, villagers — in collaboration with local authorities — set up 12 temporary homestays near delivery centers, offering expectant mothers safe accommodation and support until delivery.
Additionally, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) played a critical role by conducting door-to-door surveys to identify pregnant women and malnourished children, including those suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM).
Community ownership and impact
Speaking at the event, Deputy Commissioner Navneet Mann remarked, “Project BLOOM is not just a health initiative — it is a community movement. By converging efforts across departments and placing the community at the center, we’ve managed to make meaningful strides in maternal and child health, even in some of the most difficult-to-reach areas.”
With its inclusion among the top 19 best practices by NITI Aayog, Project BLOOM is now being seen as a national model for delivering maternal and child healthcare in remote and underserved regions.
As the initiative scales up, health officials and stakeholders hope it will inspire replication in similar contexts across India, contributing to stronger health outcomes nationwide.