Safe Motherhood in Nepal

Globally it is estimated that around 13% of maternal deaths are due to complications from unsafe abortions. Every year, worldwide, around 70,000 women die agonising deaths from sepsis and haemorrhage after illegal and unsafe abortions

 SSMP has worked with the Government of Nepal to develop and implement a cost-effective approach to build the capacity of Health Facility Management Committees, empowering them to take responsibility for improving local services and increasing local ownership and utilisation. The technique of appreciative inquiry is used to review the past, envision an improved future and identify areas for immediate change.

 High financial costs are a major barrier to many women accessing maternal health services in Nepal, especially in rural areas. This briefing describes how provision of a cash incentive to women to help them meet the costs of transport to a health facility has increased their utilisation of facility based delivery services. It outlines some of the implementation issues and learning and suggests ways in which the programme can be taken forward in the future.

This briefing summarises the analysis carried out by SSMP of the reasons behind the dramatic drop in the maternal mortality ratio (from 539 to 281 deaths per 100,000 live births) recorded by in the 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey. A range of factors is discussed, both health and non health, and recent key safe motherhood interventions are reviewed, noting how they also support wider health sector strengthening

 Behaviour Change Communication is an essential component of the national effort to meet the MDGs for maternal and child health, encouraging women and their families to adopt more healthy behaviours, including utilisation of maternity services and birth preparation.