Project Duration
1998 - 2003
Overview
Initiated in October 1998, the Maternal & Neonatal Health (MNH) Program was a 5-year USAID-funded global initiative to increase the survival of mothers and their newborns. Its mission was to provide technical assistance to increase access to, demand for, and use of life saving care for mothers and newborns. The MNH Program was implemented by JHPIEGO in collaboration with CCP, CEDPA, and the Program for Appropriate Technologies in Health in 11 countries worldwide. CCP facilitated Nepal’s first Safe Motherhood Information Education Communication (SMEIC) strategy and an innovative campaign reaching out to husbands and mother-in-laws to improve maternal health.
Accomplishments
The SUMATA (Care, Share, and Prepare) Campaign was launched in 2002 by the National Health Education, Information and Communication Center (NHEICC). SUMATA was a national safe motherhood communication campaign to increase awareness of maternal danger signs and birth preparedness to save women's lives.
Innovative print materials were produced, including posters, lampshades, danglers, and prayer flags featuring the SUMATA images and messages of Care, Share and Prepare.
Agenda-setting radio spots and seven six-minute SUMATA radio dramas were aired nationally on Radio Nepal and through regional and community FM stations and in local languages, including Tharu and Abadhi for Muslims.
A three part tele-film, Ashal Logne (Good Husband), was written and produced by Nepal's most popular duo MAHA (Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya). It was aired on Nepal Television to critical acclaim, and was distributed in NGO locales and on video-cassette.
Street theater troupes performed over 100 dramas based on SUMATA themes, reaching audiences of more than 50,000.
Billboards featuring SUMATA were erected in Nepal's major Maternity Hospital in Kathmandu, Ministry of Health, and 16 rural districts.
