Parul Ratna
About Parul Ratna
Parul Ratna serves as the State Coordinator for the Core Polio Program at Catholic Relief Services, where she has overseen polio eradication efforts in India for 20 years. She specializes in public health advocacy, immunization systems, and Behavior Change Communication.
Work at Catholic Relief Services
Parul Ratna serves as the State Coordinator for the Core Polio Program at Catholic Relief Services. She has held this position since 2004, contributing to polio eradication efforts for nearly two decades. Her role involves supervising polio eradication activities across multiple states in India. Ratna actively engages in advocacy and networking with state governments and donor agencies to enhance public health initiatives.
Education and Expertise
Parul Ratna holds two Master's degrees. She studied Social Work at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth in Varanasi from 1998 to 2000. Additionally, she earned a Master's degree in History from Banaras Hindu University, where she studied from 1995 to 1997. Her academic background supports her expertise in public health, particularly in Behavior Change Communication (BCC) and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E).
Background
Before joining Catholic Relief Services, Parul Ratna worked as a Program Officer at the Child in Need Institute (CINI) in Calcutta, West Bengal, India, from 2003 to 2004. This experience contributed to her understanding of public health challenges and strategies in India. Ratna has been instrumental in strengthening the immunization system as a member of the national monitoring team for routine immunization.
Achievements
Parul Ratna has played a significant role in supervising polio eradication activities across various states in India for over a decade. She represents Catholic Relief Services in key state-level thematic groups under the National Health Mission in Uttar Pradesh, contributing to the development and implementation of public health strategies.