Improving Access to Maternal and Child Health Care and Family Planning by Strengthening the Health System and Promoting Health in Rural Areas of Nepal 

PROJECT BRIEF 

Description 

This project launched in January 2022 and will terminate in December 2024 after a 36 month period. The project will improve access to maternal, neonatal and child health services, including family planning, through service quality improvements and health promotion. The mobilisation of local health workers, on-site preventive examinations and improved equipment and management of the health stations will improve the health of both mothers and children. Health services are poor or non-existent in our target areas and an increased demand cannot be met without supporting improved health and medical changes. 

The project partners have identified five key areas of need: 

● Health Service Provision 

● Care seeking practices 

● Health Education 

● Discriminatory practices 

● Low capacity of health workers and lack of continuous medical education Aims and Objectives 

The project aims to increase women’s access to SRH (sexual and reproductive health) services, including family planning, through service quality improvements and health promotion. The project will increase equitable access to SRH services for all members of society by mobilising local health care workers and volunteers to conduct health promotion, increased household level health checks and early intervention, and improved facilities and management at Health Posts. 

Target Population and Beneficiaries 

The project will work in Khaptad Chhededa rural municipality of Bajura district of Sudur Paschim province. Bajura is one of the remotest districts in Nepal with a very poor human development index. The RM is divided into seven wards and each ward has one health facility. In terms of maternity care, delivery services are provided only by three health facilities. The proposed intervention covers all seven health facilities; however, the focused interventions and intensive technical support will be provided in four health facilities where the intervention is most needed. 

The project targets women, children, and adolescent girls from 38 villages in Western Nepal. The project expects to increase equitable access to safe delivery and SRH services for 5,000 women and adolescent girls and reduce the incidence of menstrual health problems resulting from the practice of Chhaupadi. Women and girls will be empowered for safe, hygienic, and dignified menstruation and birthing practices. The project will address women from all castes, religions, social economic backgrounds and age groups. The project will deliver impact at three levels, integrating medical intervention with behaviour changes. 

Key Beneficiaries: 

● Individual Women -improved outreach and home visits will increase the contact women have with health workers. 

● Health Post services - the development of a professional outreach service will ensure Health Posts can effectively meet the demand of women, particularly those women who are prevented from leaving and/or feel too ashamed to report medical concerns. 

● Adolescent Girls - MHM education will ensure adolescent girls start with hygienic and safe menstruation and will more strongly guarantee long-term change in behaviour patterns are established. 

● Wider Community - will benefit from increased confidence in the health post services. 

Major Activities 

● Outreach and home visits to women for regular check ups and early diagnosis of disease. Home visits for pregnant mothers to ensure they complete their full cycle of antenatal and postnatal checks. 

● Outreach services including checks on blood pressure, anaemia and counselling on other reported issues. 

● Training of health promoters who work closely with the HFOMC to ensure the service meets local needs. 

● Training and support provided to the HFOMC about healthcare management, including local community members 

● Training in sexual and reproductive health services for Health Post staff ● Capacity building for newly elected women and staff at the Rural Municipalities and Health Posts. 

● Menstrual Health education for adolescent girls, and health promotion with Mothers Groups and the wider community to support better conditions for adolescent girls to exercise healthy choices. 

● Provision of medical supplies to health facilities 

Expected Outcome 

5000 women and adolescent girls will have access to maternity and child health care and family planning through improved service quality and health promotion leading to improved sexual and reproductive health. 

Contacts 

Ram Chandra Silwal, Country Director, Green Tara Nepal 

Kathmandu Metropolish-4, 

Lamtangin Marg, 

Baluwatar, Kathmandu 

Email: ramsilwal99@gmail.com; info@greentara.org.np 

Tel: +977 1 4432698, www.greentara.org.np 

Susanne Traud-Dubois, Chairman of the Board of Directors,Programme Manager Karuna Deutschland e.V., 

Herkulesstr. 13a, 

45127 Essen, 

gemeinnütziger Verein, 

Email: traud-dubois@karunadeutschland.org 

Tel: +49 201 45866102, www.karunadeutschland.org