Student Spotlight: Pratik Prashant Neve – Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Report on Pratik Prashant Neve: Contributions to Public Health and the Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Academic Profile and Motivation

Pratik Prashant Neve is a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, specializing in Population Health. His academic background includes a Master of Science in Health Science from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master in Population Studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences in India.

Mr. Neve’s commitment to public health was initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, where his volunteer work in a serological survey demonstrated the critical role of population-level data in rapid, evidence-based decision-making. This experience directly aligns with the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which emphasizes the need for robust health monitoring and response systems.

2.0 Focus on Population, Family, and Reproductive Health

Mr. Neve selected the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health (PFRH) to leverage his background in population studies for applied public health solutions. The department’s life course framework, which integrates maternal, child, and adolescent health with sexual and reproductive health, provides a comprehensive platform to address key SDG targets.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The department’s focus on maternal (Target 3.1), child (Target 3.2), and reproductive health (Target 3.7) is central to Mr. Neve’s academic pursuits.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The emphasis on reproductive health and autonomy directly supports the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls (Target 5.6).

3.0 Research and Field Placements Aligned with SDGs

Mr. Neve’s field placements and research activities demonstrate a strong focus on addressing global health challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), contributing to multiple Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Vaccine Logistics and Health Systems Strengthening

   In collaboration with Associate Research Professor Dustin Gibson, Mr. Neve is evaluating a vaccine logistics management system in Nigeria. This project aims to strengthen immunization supply chains through digital platforms, directly contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by improving access to essential vaccines and strengthening health systems (Target 3.8).

2. Data Collection in Low-Resource Settings

   A systematic review of mobile phone surveys in LMICs, also with Professor Gibson, addresses the need for innovative and cost-effective data collection methods. This work supports SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), specifically Target 17.18, which calls for enhancing capacity-building to increase the availability of high-quality, timely, and reliable data.

3. Healthcare in Conflict-Affected Regions

   Working with Assistant Research Professor Shatha Elnakib, Mr. Neve is exploring the experiences of midwives in Somalia and Nigeria. This research provides critical insights into health service delivery in fragile settings, aligning with:

   • SDG 3: Improving maternal health outcomes.
   • SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Focusing on vulnerable populations in conflict zones.
   • SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Understanding the resilience of health providers in fragile institutional contexts.

4. Reproductive Health for Vulnerable Populations

   Mr. Neve’s research with Associate Professor Linnea Zimmerman on the determinants of unmet need for contraception among adolescents in Rohingya refugee camps is a direct contribution to several SDGs. This work, selected for presentation at the 2025 International Conference on Family Planning, supports:

   • SDG 3: Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services (Target 3.7).
   • SDG 5: Upholding reproductive rights and empowering adolescent girls (Target 5.6).
   • SDG 10: Addressing the needs of marginalized and displaced communities.

4.0 Future Aspirations and Long-Term SDG Impact

Upon graduation, Mr. Neve aims to continue working at the intersection of global reproductive health, data systems, and policy. His long-term goal is to lead research and evaluation that informs programs designed to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. His focus areas include:

• Improving reproductive autonomy and maternal health, contributing to SDG 3 and SDG 5.
• Enhancing child well-being, in line with SDG 3.
• Advancing digital health and data collection methods in LMICs to overcome the high costs of traditional surveys, thereby strengthening evidence-based policy in support of SDG 17.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The entire article is centered on public health. It explicitly mentions work on the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal, perinatal, child, and adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, vaccine logistics, and the resilience of health providers. These topics are core to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article profiles a student, Pratik Prashant Neve, pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It details his coursework (“Advanced Demographic Methods”), his role as a teaching assistant, and the specialized training he receives, all of which fall under the umbrella of quality tertiary education and lifelong learning.
3. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article highlights research on “determinants of unmet need for contraception among adolescents” and a long-term goal to lead research that informs programs “improving reproductive autonomy.” These areas are fundamental to achieving gender equality by empowering women and girls to make informed decisions about their health and lives.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article describes numerous collaborative projects involving faculty and students working in international contexts, such as Nigeria, Somalia, and with Rohingya refugees. It also discusses improving data collection methods in “low and middle income countries (LMICs),” which speaks to capacity-building and strengthening global partnerships for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.3: End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases. This is addressed by Pratik’s experience volunteering for a “serological survey during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify community hotspots.”
   • Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes. This is directly connected to his research on “unmet need for contraception among adolescents in the Rohingya refugee camps” and his goal of “improving reproductive autonomy.”
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. This is relevant to his work “evaluating a vaccine logistics management system in Nigeria” and understanding the “experiences of early career midwives in conflict affected regions,” both of which are crucial components of health system strengthening.
   • Target 3.b: Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries. His work on a “vaccine logistics management system” is critical for the delivery and access component of this target.
2. Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. Pratik’s enrollment in the MSPH program at a leading global university is a direct example of participation in quality tertiary education.
3. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences. This is the primary focus of his research on contraception and his stated goal of improving “reproductive autonomy.”
4. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.18: By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts. This is addressed by his work on a “systematic review of mobile phone surveys in low and middle income countries” and his goal to contribute to “data collection methods in LMICs.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Implied Indicators for SDG 3:
   • For Target 3.3, the use of a “serological survey” is a data collection method to monitor disease prevalence and inform responses, which is a key component of tracking progress against epidemics.
   • For Target 3.7, the research on “unmet need for contraception” directly relates to Indicator 3.7.1 (Proportion of women of reproductive age who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods). The use of a “contraceptive choice scale” is a specific tool to gather data for this indicator.
   • For Target 3.b, the evaluation of a “vaccine logistics management system” would involve measuring supply chain efficiency, which is a prerequisite for achieving high coverage rates as measured by Indicator 3.b.1 (Proportion of the population covered by all vaccines included in their national programme).
2. Implied Indicators for SDG 5:
   • For Target 5.6, the focus on “reproductive autonomy” and “unmet need for contraception” is directly linked to Indicator 5.6.1 (Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive health care).
3. Implied Indicators for SDG 17:
   • For Target 17.18, the work on “mobile phone surveys… to collect health and disease data” in LMICs is a direct effort to improve the capacity for data collection, which is measured broadly by Indicator 17.18.1 (Statistical capacity indicator for Sustainable Development Goal monitoring).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: publichealth.jhu.edu