Founder

Charu C. Garg

Founder and Executive Director

With a robust background in health economics, I found myself working in areas where global health, innovation, research, and impact converged. Wanting a harmonious approach to these facets, something akin to the near-straight-line celestial alignment that “SYZYGY” signifies; SYZYGY Consulting was conceived in Orange County, California, in 2023. The name was not a mere coincidence but a reflection of our mission to align crucial elements in healthcare, intertwining service delivery with health financing and information to achieve universal health coverage.

With a robust background in health economics, I found myself working in areas where global health, innovation, research, and impact converged. Wanting a harmonious approach to these facets, something akin to the near-straight-line celestial alignment that “SYZYGY” signifies; SYZYGY Consulting was conceived in Orange County, California, in 2023. The name was not a mere coincidence but a reflection of our mission to align crucial elements in healthcare, intertwining service delivery with health financing and information to achieve universal health coverage.

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Global Leadership in resource tracking, financing, and costing for health programs

  • Developed knowledge products:

  • Costing tool for Immunization and occupational health.  

  • National Health Accounts and resource tracking for diseases, populations.

  • Cost and cost effectiveness of programs such as nutrition; childhood infections, Kangaroo mother care, and immunization

  • Economic evaluations for primary health care; and early childhood care and education  

  • Published papers and worked in the areas of financial protection – impoverishment and catastrophic health expenditures; health insurance; Financing and coverage for non-communicable diseases; health information; fiscal space; maternal and child health; primary care; public private partnership. External aid and additionality for HIV.

  • Published 50 papers & reports, led website content, Presented widely. Academic editor for PlosOne

  • Resource mobilization: Proposal writing; raising resources; independent consultancies.

  • Co-founder of an NGO in India which promotes education and health for disadvantaged children.

EXPERIENCE

Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development (IHD), Delhi; Director OJAS Consulting, Geneva

Advisor, Health Care Financing, National Health Systems Resource Center, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi

Health Economist, World Health Organization, Health System Financing, Geneva, Switzerland

Senior Health Economist, World Bank, Health Nutrition and Population Department, Washington DC, USA

World Health Organization, Health Economist, Health System Financing, Geneva, Switzerland

Reader/ Associate Professor, Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, New Delhi, India

Takemi Fellow in International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston MA, USA

Fellow and In-charge, Health Policy Unit, National Institute for Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi, India

Lecturer, Shri Ram College of commerce and Janki Devi Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University, Delhi

Other positions held

  • Founder member and executive secretary of NGO (www.actforchild.com). Since 2000
  • Member of International Health Economics Association; Asia-Pacific and CIS NHA Network (Founding member); The Indian Econometrics Society; Indian Association for Study of Population.
2017-Present
2017-Present

Visiting Professor, Institute for Human Development (IHD), Delhi; Director OJAS Consulting, Geneva

  • Program/project management and advisor

  • Undertake financial assessment, monitoring and economic evaluations; assess costs, cost-effectiveness; health insurance

  • Develop guidelines and methodologies; Survey design; analysis instruments

  • Capacity Building: Through policy dialogues, global consultations, workshops; mentoring teams
2014-2017
2014-2017

Advisor, Health Care Financing, National Health Systems Resource Center, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi

  • Support senior policy makers – analytical and strategic inputs and advice incl. parliament questions

  • Lead for NHA institutionalization in India

  • Member of National taskforces, review meetings, review missions, evaluations

  • Implement projects, manage budget and prepare reports

  • Represent the institution and government nationally and internationally on health financing issues
2012-2014
2012-2014

Freelance Global Consultant and Senior Visiting Consultant, Institute for Human Development (IHD), Delhi

Program/Project management; Capacity Building; Resource Mobilization
2010-2011
2010-2011

Health Economist, World Health Organization, Health System Financing, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Lead the development of selected departmental technical products,

  • Contribute to knowledge generation and innovation for policy

  • Internal and external collaborations linked to the products developed

  • Communicate products and strategies through presentations and writing material

  • Prepare and support departmental proposals
2008-2010
2008-2010

Senior Health Economist, World Bank, Health Nutrition and Population Department, Washington DC, USA

  • Global team leader for the Bank's initiative on institutionalization of NHA.

  • Develop Partnership and alliances and Build capacity in countries

  • Develop knowledge products, Support country staff, provide tools for their work

  • Administrative responsibilities such as trust fund management,  donor reports. team evaluations
2003-2008
2003-2008

World Health Organization, Health Economist, Health System Financing, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Develop, Design and pilot tools, guidelines, frameworks, and methods to assess country readiness and to enhance use of health financing information for evidence and policy.

  • Strengthen technical capacity in regions and countries application of evidence to policy

  • Coordinate and Collaborate with Member States, regional offices,networks, partner organizations, other WHO departments for development and effective utilization of methods, tools and data

  • Provide expert advice to Member States on best practices to augment technical capacity of staff and advocate greater use of NHA methods leading to institutionalization.

  • Lead the development of NHA for Disease and age specific categories

  • Manage and supervise collation, organization and analysis of  country information on health financing through comprehensive understanding of health systems in different countries

  • Connect the national program of work with global information system.
1998-2003
1998-2003

Reader/ Associate Professor, Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, New Delhi, India

  • Teach undergraduate economic students and post graduate business students; Administration such as admissions, examinations and committee member; Conduct research, present and publish
1997-1998
1997-1998

Takemi Fellow in International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston MA, USA

  • Research and writing papers
1994-1997
1994-1997

Fellow and In-charge, Health Policy Unit, National Institute for Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi, India

  • Lead Health Policy Unit to Conduct research, manage a team and budget, Publish and Present research, build capacity, liaise with the government and partners

 
1982-1994
1982-1994

Lecturer, Shri Ram College of commerce and Janki Devi Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University, Delhi

  • Taught microeconomics, Statistics, Public Finance to undergraduate students

  • Guest Faculty, Pune University,1993-1994 Graduate teaching in business statistics &econometrics.

  • Completed Ph.D. during the period and Published papers.

Other positions held

  • Founder member and executive secretary of NGO (www.actforchild.com). Since 2000
  • Member of International Health Economics Association; Asia-Pacific and CIS NHA Network (Founding member); The Indian Econometrics Society; Indian Association for Study of Population.

Post Doctorate In Health Economics
(1998 )

HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Post doctorate in health economics and Takemi Fellow in International Health at Harvard School of Public Health, Boston MA, USA.

PhD in Economics
(1992)

DELHI UNIVERSITY

PhD in Economics from Delhi University

Masters in Economics
(1982)

DELHI UNIVERSITY

Masters in Economics from Delhi University

Bachelors in Economics
(1980)

DELHI UNIVERSITY

Bachelors in Economics from Delhi University