DE
Else Kröner-Fresenius Award for Development Work in Medicine 2017
Since 2019 with funding from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA)
Since Ocober 2019 with funding from Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS)
In the context of an integrated programme to improve nutrition and health in women and children in Western Nepal, the project aims to support government health services in Mugu District. It raises awareness of the right to healthcare and education in the population, and communities are encouraged to advocate for these rights themselves (e.g. demand the regular attendence of government health workers), thus empowering individuals and communities long-term. The project in Mugu was launched in March 2016 and serves a total population of approximately 15,000 people.
In March 2020, an interim report on project results in 5 locations was submitted to ADA. Also in March 2020, ADA audited the project at PHASE Nepal’s office in Kathmandu.
Improvement of healthcare, in particular maternal and child health, by employing two experienced and highly qualified Auxiliary Nurse Midwives per health post, providing all necessary medication and material, and supervision and mentoring. PHASE staff work within the Nepali government health posts to avoid the development of a non-sustainable parallel structure that would always depend on outside help or funds.
Awareness raising and health education increase demand for and acceptance of services like pre and post natal care, or sanitation (toilets, handwashing), raise awareness of the importance of healthcare within the population, increase knowledge about healthy diets abd reduce hazardous traditions (e.g. menstrual exclusion of weomen).
Improving knowledge of governement health workers: training is important to PHASE: Its health staff regularly particpate in a biannual training in Kathmandu, is supervised by more experienced colleagues on a regular basis, and gets further training from British GP volunteers. In addition, PHASE conduct trainings in its project regions to include government health staff.
