Vol. 9 No. 2 (2025): International Journal of Health Systems and Implementation Research

The current issue of the International Journal of Health Systems and Implementation Research brings together diverse scholarly contributions addressing critical challenges in public health, health systems, and implementation research across the Indian context. Collectively, these contributions provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary public health and health systems challenges, spanning policy analysis, empirical research, workforce strengthening, and outbreak investigation. Together, they reinforce the importance of equity-driven, system-oriented approaches to improving health outcomes and advancing public health practice.

The editorial on Climate Change and Emerging Fungal Infections in India highlights the escalating burden of serious and multidrug-resistant fungal infections driven by climate change. It calls for strengthened national and global fungal surveillance, improved laboratory infrastructure, and coordinated policy responses to mitigate emerging health risks.

A viewpoint article, From Screens to Sips: Social Media’s Impact on Adolescent Alcohol Use, examines how digital platforms influence alcohol-related attitudes and behaviours among adolescents. Another viewpoint, Adult Immunization in India: Need, Current Status, Challenges, and Way Forward, draws attention to the neglected area of adult vaccination. The authors discuss demographic shifts, rising non-communicable disease burden, and missed prevention opportunities, highlighting the need to integrate adult immunisation into primary healthcare systems while leveraging lessons from the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

An original article on Sustainable Waste Management in the Healthcare Sector presents a retrospective analysis from a tertiary care teaching hospital. The study emphasises that efficient waste management has direct financial savings, and indirect advantages, such as improved institutional reputation, regulatory compliance leading to better healthcare delivery.

Another original research article on Family Adoption Programme (FAP) Implementation in Phase I MBBS Curriculum, examines a key public health issue. The implementation of the FAP programme needs coordinated team work, time management, intersectoral coordination, training of the team and orientation of the students. A qualitative original article on the Perspectives of Auxiliary Nurse Midwives on using Digital learning in Bihar explores auxiliary nurse midwives’ experiences with a blended digital learning intervention in Bihar. The findings support the role of mentorship-supported digital platforms in strengthening the primary healthcare workforce.

A case study on Food Safety, Sanitation and Hygiene: Lessons from a Hepatitis-A Outbreak in Rural India, documents an outbreak investigation linking disease transmission to unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, and unhygienic food practices. The case emphasises the importance of environmental surveillance, hygiene promotion, and regulatory enforcement for outbreak prevention in rural settings.

Collectively, the articles in this issue provide important insights into emerging public health threats, health system gaps, and innovative implementation strategies, offering valuable evidence for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.