Friends of Nepal Pariwar Foundation: Women’s Health – NEPAL
Babies aren’t born just between 8 AM and 5 PM!
Friends of Nepal Pariwar Foundation is supporting two reproductive health clinics run by community organizations. They are in Hinquwapati and Mulkharka, both high mountain communities of Nepal. With EPIC’s help, these clinics are able to provide 24-hours a day availability of a skilled nurse midwife for assisting births. The midwives also are available to provide women with family planning services. Last year these two clinics served 4,343 patients for reproductive and general health. Included in this figure were 334 for family planning.
Impressive Numbers of Patients Served
To serve more women in a broader area, 3 reproductive health camps were organized in the past year. Supported by a team of doctors, nurses, and para-medical staff, these health camps treated a total of 703 patients. Family planning services, which included implants and IUDs, were provided for 292 women. To improve cancer prevention, the clinics are promoting testing for cancerous lesions of the cervix. They performed 215 cervical cancer check-ups, with 12 positive cases referred for treatment and 5 suspicious cases which they were successfully able to treat at the health camp.
Having experienced nurse midwives available 24 hours a day saves lives
The average countrywide maternal mortality rate for Nepal in 2021 was just under 200/100,000. By comparison, it was 24/100,000 in the U.S. (although this is higher than thirty other developed countries). Most maternal deaths in Nepal are due to preventable causes, such as bleeding, high blood pressure, infections, and prolonged labor, as well as the distance to travel to a clinic to obtain assistance. Pregnant women are being encouraged to use the clinic services provided by local culturally sensitive nurse midwives. Over a 9-year period, clinic deliveries increased from 38% to 96% in Ward #9 of the Melemchi Municipality where one of the clinics is located. Lives are being saved!