About Us

Nepal Family Health Program II (NFHP II) is USAID/Nepal’s major Family Planning/Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (FP/MNCH) bilateral project and runs from 19 December 2007 to 30 September 2012. NFHP II is implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute Inc. and its partners. USAID/Nepal supported a similar FP/MNCH bilateral project between December 2001 to November 2007 (NFHP I), which was also implemented successfully by JSI R&T and partners.

The goal of NFHP II is to improve the provision and use of public sector FP/MNCH and related social services, supporting the Government of Nepal’s intention to reduce fertility and mortality, as expressed in the Health Sector Strategy (2004); the Nepal Health Sector Program – Implementation Plan (2004-2009); and the Second Long Term Health Plan (1997-2017).

USAID, through NFHP II, expects to achieve the following important results:

• public health impact at scale,
• strengthened capacity of Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) systems,
• increased coverage among the marginalized,
• increased community participation in decision-making concerning management of local health services, and
• advancing global best practices in FP/MNCH.

Program Description

NFHP II focuses on community-level and other peripheral FP/MNCH services and works primarily in support of public sector services (although in close coordination with social marketing, NGO and private sectors). Support is provided at the central level, primarily to several Divisions and Centers under the Department of Health Services. This support includes technical assistance on development of policies, standards, guidelines, curricula, information systems, preparing annual workplans, program monitoring, etc. Nationwide support is provided to implement various activities such as vitamin A supplementation, FCHV capacity building, and strengthening of the logistics system.

All technical areas and activities are implemented on a fully integrated basis under the leadership of MoHP, with partners co-located at central and field levels, working within a single management structure. At district level, project staff are based in district health offices and focus not only on improving program performance but also on strengthening the capacity of GoN counterparts. Support in core program districts vary by district priorities and are delivered on a phased basis.

Select examples of technical areas and activities covered under NFHP II include:

• Maternal/reproductive health: use of the Birth Preparedness Package, prevention of postpartum hemorrhage at health facilities and home birth, strengthening facility-based ante- and perinatal care and skilled care at delivery, use of magnesium sulphate for treatment of eclampsia.
• Newborn health: management of low birth weight babies, promotion of essential newborn care practices, community-based infection management.
• Child health: Community-Based Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (CB-IMCI), mass vitamin A supplementation, use of zinc/ORS for diarrhea treatment.
• Family planning: comprehensive/routine services, increasing access through Maternal & Child Health Workers and Village Health Workers, voluntary surgical contraception.
• Information and logistics systems: strengthening the Heath Management Information System and Logistics Management Information System at central, regional,
• Performance improvement: technical support visits at facility/community levels, FP/MNCH in-service training/system strengthening, facility-based infection prevention, performance improvement activities including district Quality Assurance Working Group.
• Local health governance: capacity building of Health Facility Operation and Management Committees.
• Testing innovative FP/MNCH approaches: such as use of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care, distribution channel for newborn vitamin A supplementation, and use of Gentamicin in Uniject by FCHVs to treat newborn infection.
• Support to the Female Community Heath Volunteers (FCHV).
• Women's and girls' empowerment: increasing functional literacy, health education, and girls' access to school.

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