Delivering More: Co-Designing Climate-Resilient Maternal & Newborn Spaces
Authors: Minara Chowdhury & Raihan Sharif | Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Background: In an era of climate crises and global pandemics, our health is deeply intertwined with the health of our planet. Resilient infrastructure, an often-overlooked pillar of strong health systems, can help communities adapt, endure, and recover while protecting lives, culture, and the environment. This project explores how co-designing with communities enhances quality of maternal and newborn care while ensuring climate readiness in LMICs.

Objectives:

• Engage mothers, families, and providers in healthcare space design
• Develop functional, climate-smart maternal newborn spaces
• Enhance Quality of Care and sustainability

Design and Methodology:

• Mixed-method formative study using 17 Human-Centered Design tools
• 360 respondents through interviews, focus groups and codesign workshops
• Designed resilient infrastructure at four facilities in Bangladesh and Ethiopia using a human centered approach
• Added climate impact insights into health-seeking behavior tools

Key Findings:

• Resilient infrastructure enables communities to withstand and recover quickly from climate shocks.
• Locally sourced and crafted infrastructure strengthens community identity and supports local economies.
• Well-designed, durable, and adaptable buildings ensure consistent function and long-term relevance.

Conclusion: Healthcare design must prioritize community voices and climate realities. This initiative offers scalable, climate resilient, user-centered principles for future maternal newborn care spaces and policy frameworks in LMICs.

Read more about our project at deliveringmore.org

Contact: Minara Chowdhury, Senior Director – Global Delivery, IHI, Email: mchowdhury@ihi.org