Selected for the 'Mitene Fund' to Strengthen Health Education Projects in Remote Nepal

In March 2023, the specified non-profit organization ASHA (hereinafter referred to as “ASHA”) was selected for the third round of the “Mitene Fund Step-Up Grant,” which provides financial support to organizations working to address social issues surrounding children and their families.

Through this grant, ASHA will strengthen two initiatives: the establishment of a local health worker system in remote areas of Nepal and the promotion of health education.

“Mitene Fund” Third Round – Step-Up Grant (Japanese): https://fund.mitene.us/n/ncb084d8e9dd4

・Social Issues Addressed by ASHA

In remote areas of Nepal, many people suffer from deteriorating health or even lose their lives due to the inability to access or receive appropriate medical care when needed. One of the major causes is geographical—many residents live in mountainous regions where the nearest medical facility is a 4 to 10-hour walk away. In addition, interviews with residents have revealed that due to a lack of health education and opportunities to learn within their daily lives, as well as the absence of people they can consult or who can encourage them, they lack basic knowledge about health and medical care. As a result, they are unable to assess their own health conditions or needs—an issue that has also been academically documented (*1). This issue is particularly severe among women and children who lack transportation and financial resources. In these mountainous regions, it is common to find children suffering from malnutrition and pregnant women who have never had a prenatal check-up. Furthermore, the quality of care provided by medical institutions is limited, and the gap between urban and rural healthcare continues to widen. Given that local governments lack the capability to resolve these challenges on their own, ASHA provides systems that empower local authorities and communities to sustainably address these issues through their own efforts. *1 Reference:Nakamura, Yuka [2022]. Conversations on Illness: Living with Diabetes in Nepal. Kyoto University Press.

・ASHA’s Activities

Guided by the philosophy "Basic Health Rights for All – Ensuring the right to live a healthy and secure life, no matter where one is born," ASHA promotes three core initiatives.

(1) Establishing a Home Visit System by Community Health Workers

To address the issue of poor geographical access to healthcare, ASHA hires health staff from within the local communities. These staff conduct regular home visits to provide health guidance and monitor high-risk individuals, including pregnant women, children, and patients with lifestyle-related diseases. ASHA has developed and provides an application called “ASHAConnect,” which enables domain-specific medical interviews, alerts for potentially high-risk patients, educational content such as videos for resident and patient education, and management of home visits.

To date, 10 staff members have provided daily care to approximately 800 people.

(2) Health Education Classes for Students

ASHA develops and implements special health education classes for elementary and middle school students in remote areas of Nepal, where access to health education is limited. Since 2021, approximately 400 students have received health education. Additionally, there have been instances of middle school students applying first aid and other skills in their daily lives.

(3) Strengthening Information Management and Data Utilization in Healthcare Institutions

ASHA is working on the electronic management of medical records in regions where they are not properly managed, aiming to improve information management, enhance the quality of healthcare, and visualize needs. To date, data from approximately 2,000 patients have been accumulated and utilized.

・Utilization of This Grant

With this grant, ASHA aims to primarily (1) create a home visit program by community health workers, (2) strengthen the system and operation of the health education program for students, as well as provide staff training on-site, and conduct pilot implementations in new regions. Additionally, in collaboration with our partner, Kathmandu University, we will assess the effectiveness of the project.