DEC 05 -
Today, December 5 marks an important milestone—the 25th anniversary of Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHV). The idea was simple enough in theory. With the assistance of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations, a cadre of female health practitioners would bring health education and medical outreach services to families throughout the country. In practice, the challenges were enormous, not least Nepal’s underdeveloped infrastructure and extreme geography.
Now, 25 years later, I can confidently say the project has been a huge success. Since its inception in 1988, the FCHV programme has proven to be a key factor in Nepal’s dramatic reduction in maternal and child mortality. Today, there are about 52,000 FCHV members working across the country’s 75 districts. They are a vital pillar of Nepal’s public health sector and have saved the lives of tens of thousands of people who would otherwise have died from unnecessary causes.
December 5 is also commemorated worldwide as International Volunteer’s Day. And who better to be honoured on this day than Female Community Health Volunteers, who serve as Nepal’s frontline public health workers? In congratulating these special, dedicated women, let me cite a few of their most impressive achievements:
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