The Gujarat SHSRC team visited the SHSRC-Kerala on two occasions to gain insights into their operational framework within the Kerala health system and to understand the ongoing research studies being conducted. These visits provided an excellent opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration, enhancing the understanding of effective health system strategies and research methodologies.

In the first time State Health Systems Resource Centre (SHSRC) Gujarat visited SHSRC Kerala to study its infrastructure and unique health initiatives. The three-day visit, held from October 22nd to 24th, was organized to promote knowledge exchange and provide insights into Kerala’s health system and policy innovations.

The SHSRC Gujarat delegation included Dr. V. Vasuki, Officer on Special Duty, Dr. Shivangi Rajput, Consultant for Health Care Innovation's Best Practices and Ms. Arjavi Patel, Health Informatics Project Officer.

On day one, SHSRC Kerala’s Executive Director, Dr. V. Jithesh, welcomed the Gujarat team and provided an overview of the organization’s work. His presentation highlighted the key organizational activities, collaborative research efforts, Kerala’s unique health system approaches, innovative aspects and policy advancements. Following this, the Gujarat team engaged with five Research Officers from SHSRC Kerala, each of whom discussed their respective research activities and provided overviews of their studies.

On the second day, the team participated in an observational field visit to Family Health Centre (FHC) Chemmaruthy in Trivandrum district, the first FHC inaugurated under Kerala's Aardram Mission and the district's first health centre to be bestowed with national recognition. Dr.Jadhavedus Mohanlal, Research Officer from SHSRC Kerala, guided the Gujarat team in this visit, providing firsthand insights into the centre’s operations and accomplishments.

On the final day, the team visited the National Health Mission (NHM) to gain an insight into Maternal and Child Health interventions. In the final session, they reflected on their field visit experiences and shared feedback. During the session, SHSRC Gujarat also presented an outline of their organizational activities, innovative programmes, documentation practices and future plans. This collaborative visit marked an important step toward shared learning and potential future partnerships between the SHSRCs of the two states.

In the second visit State Health Systems Resource Centre Gujarat (SHSRC-G) and the Indian Institute of Public Health Gujarat (IIPHG) visited the State Health Systems Resource Centre Kerala (SHSRC-K) on February 20th as part of the Healthcare Leadership Enhancement Program. Dr. V. Jithesh, Executive Director of SHSRC-Kerala, presented an overview of the institution and conducted an interactive session with the visiting team. Dr. Jathavedus Mohanlal, Assistant Director of SHSRC-Kerala, delivered a talk on the institution’s research activities, including completed, ongoing, and upcoming studies. Dr. Parvathy Thampy S, Research Officer at SHSRC-Kerala, highlighted the institution’s role in providing technical and policy support to the Health & family welfare department, Kerala. She also shared insights into involvement in national-level programs, interstate visits, outbreak responses, and the IRC & IEC committees established by SHSRC-Kerala. Research officers Dr. Manju Madhavan, Dr. Bhavya Fernandez, Dr. Aravind Chandru, Mrs. Vismaya Raj K and Dr. Nitha J.S presented their research findings in the session. The visiting members engaged in discussions, and their queries were addressed by the research officers of corresponding research projects.