This snapshot, taken on 05/02/2007, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.

Find out more about web archiving at The National Archives

See all dates available for this archived website

Leading the British government in their fight against world poverty

	Case Studies
	About DFID
	Millennium Dev't Goals
	Country Profiles
	News
	Publications
	Procurement
	Consultations
	Research
	Funding Schemes
	Recruitment

Case Studies photograph

Case Studies
- - -

Working with consultancy to make motherhood safer in Nepal

Nepali woman and child DFID has been supporting safer motherhood in Nepal since 1997. The External link, opens in new window Nepal Safer Motherhood Project (NSMP), with a total budget (to 2004) of £5.8 million, has made great progress. And a new programme worth a further £20 million agreed (for 2005-2010) will scale up this work.

NSMP has been an example of effective use of consultancy (Options Consultancy Services) and has assisted the Nepal Government to enhance services and increase access to essential obstetric care (EOC) in 10 districts, covering 15% of the population.

Achievements include:

The legislation of abortion allowing for safe abortion
Expanding the nurses and paramedics to provide emergency obstetric care
Ten fully equipped and functioning hospitals
The establishment of a national essential obstetric care monitoring system
The development of several new training courses for Maternal and Child Health Workers (MCHWs), nurses and doctors.

Across all NSMP-supported districts, usage increased by an average 1.2% annually and more people are attending from remoter villages, despite the worsening security situation.

Countrywide, an estimated 5% of women who experience life threatening complications during pregnancy receive appropriate treatment, which has risen to 14% (in 2003) for women in NSMP districts.

A number of knowledge gaps have also been closed in the sub-sector including understanding actual competency levels of MCHWs and the real costs to households of accessing services at hospitals.

At the community level, awareness on obstetric warning signs has increased and the decision-making authority of women in families is perceived to have risen. Transport schemes and emergency funds have been set up and the role of MCHWs as front line safer motherhood workers has gained increased acceptance.

External link, opens in new window Facts and figures on maternal mortality (Safemotherhood.org)

Key facts

Following the success of Nepal's Safer Motherhood Programme, DFID has agreed to contribute £20 million to a new programme, which will scale up services over the next 5 years. 55% of this will be in the form of direct financial aid
DFID will continue to engage with Options Consultancy Services, who will manage the technical assistance component of the new programme
DFID gave £5.8 million to NSMP over a 7-year period to late 2004
NSMP worked in 10 districts, covering 15% of Nepal's population. It ran until mid-2004.