Lumbini Government Mobilizing Female Volunteers to Reduce Maternal and Child Mortality

Nepal Health News, Dang – The Lumbini Provincial Government is formulating a strategy to mobilize Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) more actively in order to improve community nutrition and reduce maternal and child mortality rates.

Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya, during a meeting with representatives of the Nepal Health Volunteer Association (NEHVA) Lumbini Province, emphasized that the government's priority lies in improving nutrition and overall health indicators. He instructed the formulation of necessary plans to enhance the effectiveness of the role played by FCHVs.

Given the increasing challenges posed by maternal mortality, child death rates, and malnutrition in Lumbini Province, the discussion focused on strengthening the active participation of the volunteers. NEHVA Lumbini submitted a seven-point memorandum to the Chief Minister, calling for a special policy to recognize and encourage the volunteers who have been serving for over three decades.

The delegation, led by the association's president Sunita Sharma, proposed that FCHVs should be included in the Social Security Fund, enrolled in mandatory health insurance, provided with a one-time annual retirement grant of NPR 30,000, and that their stipend should be increased to NPR 1,500.

Chief Minister Acharya assured that the role of FCHVs would be made more impactful and directed the Ministry of Health to prepare a concrete action plan. Currently, around 8,907 Female Community Health Volunteers are working in Lumbini Province.