Quarterly report - q4 2023

On November 3, 2023, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck the districts of Jajarkot and Rukum West in the Karnali Province, killing more than 150 people, displacing thousands more, and causing significant structural damage. Essential maternal and neonatal healthcare (MNH) services, particularly in remote areas, have been heavily impacted. Across both districts, a total of four facilities have been completely destroyed, and 146 have sustained major structural damage leaving pregnant women and their newborns without access to essential care and increasingly vulnerable to negative health outcomes.

In response, OHW immediately began leveraging resources towards an initial emergency response that would meet the needs of those affected by this humanitarian crisis. In Ghetma and Chainabagar (Rukum West) we have set up four medical tents and purchased all of the necessary medical equipment and supplies in order to maintain service provision for pregnant mothers and newborns infants until the permanent structures are rebuilt. With support from the German Embassy, we were able to distribute essential relief materials (such as corrugated galvanized iron sheets, water tanks, dignity kits, winter kits, hygiene kits, kitchen utensils, and blankets) to families with pregnant women or children below one year of age. We distributed these supplies to five of the most remote and overlooked municipalities in both districts, namely Kushe and Barekot in Jajarkot and Aathbiskot, Triveni, and Sanibheri in Rukum West, benefitting a total of 896 families in need of support.

We are now working with several local and international partners to rebuild and restore the MNH infrastructure in the affected districts.

As part of an exciting initiative made possible through funding support from Australian partners, the DAK Foundation, One Heart Worldwide has successfully outlined plans for a global mentorship program and expansion of the rural ultrasound program across various partners in Africa. This collaboration allows Nepal to share best practices and insights on rural ultrasound program application with other relevant partners in different countries.

In alignment with our investment in Nepal’s training structures towards affecting long-term systemic change, we have been expanding our technical and financial support to the Government of Nepal as we incorporate our simulation-based training approach within the new national training curriculum for skilled birth attendants (SBAs) and skilled health personnel (SHPs). In Q4, all modules were completed, along with the necessary checklists and assessment tools. The revised training package has now been handed over to the National Health Training Center (NHTC) for piloting and testing before nationwide scaling.

Additionally, our team had the opportunity to visit our program partner, Laerdal Global Health, and witness their simulation laboratories in India. This visit kick-started our first-ever national-level simulation laboratory program in seven large hospitals in Nepal, an achievement that has come to fruition through Laerdal’s partnership in developing the SBMP and further demonstrates our joint commitment to quality MNH care nationwide.

Our team visited Noora Health in India to discuss the expansion of their Care Companion program for prenatal and postnatal mothers in Nepal as an opportunity for collaboration and additional pathway for strengthening MNH care.