Green Tara Nepal (GTN) in collaboration with two UK universities presents the findings of its long-term maternal project plus a review of health promotion in (a) government policies and strategies and (b) the curricula of university-based health courses in Nepal. 

Dr. Jane Stephens, from Green Tara Trust (London) introduced Green Tara’s health promotion initiatives.  She also presented some of the findings from its long-term maternal health promotion intervention in Daxinkali and Chaimale.  Dr. Stephens stated: “GTN has shown that interventions based on health promotion principles using women’s groups can be effective in the community.”

 Ms. Colette Fanning, the GTT Director, noted that “GTN’s current health promotion intervention in Nawalparasi focuses on the improvement of Government-run birthing centres and we are happy to announce that it is showing promising interim results.”    

Mr. Ram Chandra Silwal, Country Director GTN, presented findings of key health-related policies of the past two decades.  He observed that “The definition of health promotion or a description of the concept is generally missing in policy documents although these may cover aspects of health promotion.” 

Prof. Dr. Simkhada (Liverpool John Moores University, UK) highlighted “One of Nepal’s key challenges is the existing health inequality in Nepal.”  He added that: “The country has some good policies and reasonably well planned systems, but the implementation is often poor.”

Our review of curricula of university-based health courses in Nepal (2014-15) showed only half (9 out of 17) undergraduate health courses included the term, definition and concept of health promotion in their curricula.

Prof. Dr. Edwin van Teijlingen (Bournemouth University, UK) observed “One of the strengths of Green Tara’s approach is its collaboration with UK universities for its research.  Several excellent MSc and PhD students have been, and some still are, contributing to the health promotion evidence base.”

As Nepal is moving to a federal state we need to consider combining national and federal planning with a bottom-up approach to policy-making.  Some health promotion issues are national or even global, whilst others are regional or local problems.  One of the key elements of health promotion is empowerment which is an idea that needs to be incorporate into the policy making.

The workshop will be attended by a range of directors of NGOs, INGOs, the Government of Nepal, and many other stakeholders including the media.  The GTN Chair Krishna Lamsal added: “This dissemination workshop follows on from the First National Health Promotion Conference in Nepal which we jointly organised in early 2013.  The conference brought together nearly 300 people for the first time to discuss key issues in health promotion.”