AROGYA WORLD: BUILDING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION “WITHOUT THE RIGHT PLATFORM, THESE RESULTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.” Nalini Saligram, Founder and CEO, Arogya World Nalini Saligram, Founder and CEO of Arogya World, at CGI's 2013 Annual Meeting. CGI MEMBER: AROGYA WORLD MEMBER SINCE: 2011 COMMITMENTS MADE: 3 Making Preventative Care Accessible technology presented one of the best strategies already begun conversations with Nokia to be AROGYA WORLD USES INNOVATIVE Arogya World is focused on addressing for moving the needle on this issue. But this the mobile partner for the project, Saligram’s THINKING TO ADDRESS NCD PREVENTION diabetes in Saligram’s country of origin, project would need a platform that could help familiarity with CGI led her to apply for India, where the prevalence of diabetes it reach its full potential. For Arogya World, membership, which she felt would help increased tenfold between 1971 and 2000. For Nalini Saligram, founder and CEO of that platform was CGI. accelerate and increase the impact of her work. With half a billion people under the age Arogya World, addressing chronic or non- In June of 2011, Arogya World was accepted of 25, India is a powerhouse of future communicable diseases (NCDs) is a defining as a CGI member, and the mDiabetes project consumers and workers. Most of this group passion. This passion has carried her around became its first commitment. is healthy now, but if they become sick the the world, working with a variety of leading FINDING THE RIGHT PLATFORM LEADS economic cost will be significant. pharmaceutical companies and global TO SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS Arogya World worked to finalize its health nonprofits including Merck & Co. AND STRONG RESULTS commitment proposal in time to be launched Arogya World recognized that—in order in Philadelphia, GlaxoSmithKline in London, at CGI’s 2011 Annual Meeting, which brought to prevent this from becoming the case— Hill & Knowlton in Hong Kong, and Merial global attention to the organization’s efforts. young people must learn how to prevent In many ways, Arogya World’s first in Atlanta. With the support of its CGI affiliation, it was disease while still healthy. With approximately Commitment to Action—“Diabetes Prevention able to secure a powerful network of partners, 900 million cell phone users throughout India, with mHealth in India”—was also its first In 2010, Saligram made the decision to break including Nokia, Emory University, Johnson many of whom are under the age of 25, mobile major project as an organization. Having out on her own. Using her knowledge and & Johnson (LifeScan Inc.), Aetna International, international work experience she founded Arogya World, an organization that, in her words, is working to “turn NCD awareness into on-the-ground action” by focusing on 2011 2013 2013 prevention. Through engagement with CGI, Arogya World has developed a promising network of partners from policy, business, AROGYA science, and civil society, and its work today WORLD reflects this growth. NCD Chronic Diseases: A Global Challenge FOCUS Non-communicable diseases include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases, THE and cancer. They are responsible for two out CLINTON GLOBAL of three deaths today, 80 percent of which INITIATIVE PLATFORM Influencing Influencing Influencing occur in developing countries. However, the Individuals Employers Countries World Health Organization (WHO) maintains Diabetes Prevention Healthy Workplace Awards 10,000 Women's Voices Above: Arogya World’s 2011 commitment—“Diabetes that many NCDs can be prevented by eating a with mHealth in India to Prevent Chronic Help the Fight Against NCDs Prevention with mHealth in India”—has reached more healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and Disease in India than one million individuals with diabetes awareness avoiding tobacco use. and prevention text messages. 20 21 Biocon Ltd., and Synovate (now Ipsos). execution, partnership engagement, and private sector, and knowledgeable partners Each played a critical role in the successful process methodology is helping to build to create a culture of workplace wellness,” THE CGI NETWORK development and implementation of the commitments that creatively tackle NCDs Saligram explained. “If the culture changes, it The power of the CGI network lies in what each member brings to the commitment. in new ways. will lead to health changes. This is pioneering work in India.” table. Representing innovative leaders from around the world and across Structured Collaboration all sectors, CGI members each offer valuable experience and partnership Designed as a population-level nationwide Girls and Women as Part of the Solution opportunities to take commitments to the next level of impact. public health intervention, the commitment FUELED BY THE SUCCESS Saligram believes that girls and women are a uses mobile technology to establish disease- OF mDIABETES, AROGYA WORLD major part of the solution to the NCD crisis. preventing health behaviors. In 2012, Nokia SCALES ITS EFFORTS They are often the caregivers for their families, and Arogya World recruited over one million and they make decisions about food and individuals who opted in to receive free activity level that can directly impact NCD mDiabetes text messages twice a week for NCD Prevention in the Workplace prevalence. Through Saligram’s involvement six months. In conjunction with Emory In 2012, recognizing the potential of with CGI's Girls and Women Track and the University, over 50 text messages were workplaces to prevent chronic disease, Arogya NCD Action Network— and with the support developed based on science and behavior World began to develop another commitment— of CGI staff to determine the measurable change theory. Arogya World adapted the an award that would honor and recognize parameters of the project—Arogya World messages for India’s culture, and Nokia Indian employers for their healthy work decided to make a third commitment: ACADEMIA THOUGHT transmitted more than 56 million mDiabetes environments. Previously, Arogya World held “10,000 Women’s Voices Help the Fight LEADERS text messages to consumers throughout workshops to create criteria for the Healthy Against NCDs.” Jack Andraka 2012. Arogya World assessed the program’s Workplace Awards and its recognition in the Henry M. Paulson Matthew Bishop effectiveness by comparing responses of NCD community helped garner partnerships Launched at CGI’s 2013 Annual Meeting, this Michael Porter Paul Farmer 950 consumers—collected during telephone with Aon, the Public Health Foundation of commitment aims to implement a quantitative Nilofar Sakhi Bill Gates interviews—before and after the mDiabetes India, and Nationwide—a chain of Indian survey of 10,000 women in 10 countries to John Sexton Jacqueline Novogratz messages were received. These responses primary care clinics. gather women’s perspectives on NCDs. Arogya Laura D. Tyson Judith Rodin were also compared to a control group who World brought in Novartis, Partnership to Zainab Salbi did not receive the messages. Arogya World launched this project as Fight Chronic Disease, American Cancer its second CGI commitment—“Healthy Society, UNICEF, Population Services Analysis is ongoing, but more than 10 percent Workplace Awards to Prevent Chronic Disease International, Abt SRBI, and Jana to partner of mDiabetes participants have reported in India”—strategically using the timing of on the project, and CGI staff continue to assist A COMMUNITY making and maintaining healthy behavior CGI’s 2013 Annual Meeting to usher in more with securing additional partners and finding OF TRUSTED changes that are known to prevent diabetes. applications, including GE Healthcare India. ways to draw world attention to the issue. PARTNERS With its newfound confidence and recognition Together, the employers competing for the first The final commitment results will be shared in the NCD space, Arogya World is applying year of the award have over 50,000 employees. with the United Nations and used to establish lessons learned to make more commitments; “This commitment is truly a partnership NCDs as a women’s issue and as a family issue, and its experience in large-scale project between a civil society organization, the putting a human face on the NCD crisis. “We see the increase of BUSINESS NOBEL LEADERS PRIZE non-communicable diseases, John Chambers LAUREATES especially in developing Audrey Choi Kofi Annan Eileen Fisher Shirin Ebadi countries, as a major global Muhtar Kent Leymah Gbowee health problem. That’s Kay Krill Amartya Sen why Novartis is proud Jack Ma Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Hans Vestberg GLOBAL Aung San Suu Kyi to collaborate with Arogya CITIZENS Archbishop Desmond Tutu Elie Wiesel World on their 10,000 Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah Women survey, drawing Madeleine K. Albright Matt Damon attention to the impact Jane Goodall of NCDs on women’s lives Jim Yong Kim Sean Penn around the world.” Brad Pitt Malala Yousafzai Jürgen Brokatzky-Geiger, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, Novartis 22 23 .