The India Population Project - VIII was planned and designed by the KMDA as an extension of the CUDP-III health programme. It was appreciated that the efforts initiated under the CUDP-III health programme needed to be continued in a bigger way as the community responses to such initiatives had been overwhelming. The experience of CUDP-III implementation revealed that women and children belonging to the urban poor were especially vulnerable to health hazards. Malnutrition, various childhood infections including skin infection, diarrhoeal diseases, upper respiratory tract infections, poor maternal / pre-natal health, high infant mortality and high birth rate were some of the worst health problems faced by the slum population. India Population Project (IPP - VIII), with the Department of Health, Government. of West Bengal as the nodal agency and with financial assistance from the World Bank, was planned and designed by KMDA on behalf of the nodal agency, essentially as an extension of CUDP-III health programme. The project is conceptualized to:

While the health infrastructure network is similar to the one under CUDP-III health programme, one Health Administrative Unit would take care of not more than 7 sub-centres. It may be noted that owing to the emphasis being placed on the RCH approach, the Extended Specialized Out Patient Departments have been renamed Expanded Family Health Counselling Centres. The IPP - VIII places particular stress on training of Honorary Health Workers, vocational training for self-employment and IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities, pertaining to women and children in particular. The project is being implemented in close collaboration with elected urban local bodies, Community Based Organization (CBOs) and NGOs.