Health Link
Promoting cooperation in the health sector between the people of Britain and Nepal

Health Partnerships

This page lists on-going health research partnerships between UK academic institutions and Nepalese organisations. Several of these partnerships are at the forefront of research in their fields. Several of these partnerships have written-only relationships to provide students with the opportunity to buy nursing paper online that includes data from our research.


The partnership between the Institute for Global Health of University College, London and the Nepalese NGO Mother and Infant Research Activities (MIRA) carries out pioneering work on maternal, newborn and child health. Professor Anthony Costello of UCL and Dr Dharma Manandhar of MIRA have been the driving forces behind this longest running research partnership in Nepal’s health sector. Major work undertaken by this partnership includes the following:

 

  • The effect of participatory interventions with women’s groups on birth outcomes
  • The effects of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation on birth weight and gestational duration in Nepal
  • Low birth weight in South Asia trial
  • Community-based interventions for perinatal health and nutrition in Dhanusha, Nepal.

 

Official websites:
Institute for Global Health

MIRA

Oxford University Clinical Research Unit – Patan HospitalOxford University Clinical Research Unit-Nepal (OUCRU-NP) is hosted by Patan Hospital and the Patan Academy of Health Sciences in the Kathmandu Valley Nepal and works closely with the Nepal Health Research Council. OUCRU-Nepal’s mission at Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Patan Hospital is to build a mass of young Nepalese clinician scientists who can help build Nepal's scientific and clinical future.

OUCRU-NP was initiated in 2003 at Patan Hospital after exchanges in the New England Journal of Medicine between Prof. Jeremy Farrar of Oxford University and Dr Buddha Basnyat of Patan Hospital. Since then, the research collaboration has evolved and OUCRU-NP has become a respected and integral part of the work of Patan Hospital and the Patan Academy of Health Sciences. There has been considerable investment in upgrading the hospital laboratories in the Clinical Research Unit and on training young Nepalese clinicians and scientists. The research focus has been on the most common infectious diseases affecting patients at Patan Hospital and its surrounding areas. High altitude sickness has been another important area of research.

Nepal Health Sector Support Programme – Ministry of Health and PopulationThe Nepal Health Sector Support Programme (NHSSP) provides technical assistance to support the Ministry of Health and Population to implement the Nepal Health Sector Programme-2 (NHSP-2, 2010–2015) towards improving the provision and use of health services, particularly by poor and excluded people,
NHSSP supports system strengthening, the development of policies and strategies, the carrying out of studies on topics of concern, and the implementation of solutions across Nepal’s health sector. It works across the following subject areas:

 

  • Health policy and planning (including the preparation of NHSP-3)
  • Health financing
  • Procurement and infrastructure
  • Essential health care services
  • Public financial management
  • Gender equality and social inclusion
  • Monitoring, evaluation and research.

 

The programme is funded by the UK’s Department for International Development and provides technical assistance on behalf of DFID and the NHSP-2 pooled fund partners. Phase 1 of NHSSP ran from January 2011 to August 2013. Phase 2 runs from September 2013 to July 2015.

Phase 2 is managed by Options Consultancy Service Ltd (UK), with the Crown Agents and Oxford Policy Management as the other two consortium partners.

The University of Edinburgh – HERDThe University of Edinburgh Department of sociology and anthropology and the Health Research and Social Development Forum (HERD) are implementing the three year research project ‘Understanding TB: Technologies, ethics and programmes.’ The aim is to increase understanding of critical emerging issues in the implementation of the World Health Organisation’s Stop TB Strategy.

START/FINISH DATES
2013-2015

Through this strategy, countries are broadening the arenas of vertical TB control activities to include TB/HIV interactions, drug resistant forms of TB, issues of marginalised populations, health system strengthening, empowering people and communities, and developing operational research. The research is looking into how funding by the Global Fund has impacted TB control and how new TB diagnostic technologies are impacting the relationship between health workers and health workers and patients and the issues of people living with TB-HIV co-infection. This research is ethnographic in nature.

Tropical Health & Education Trust (THET)THET is a specialist global health organisation that educates, trains and supports health workers through partnerships, supporting health systems and enabling people in low and middle income countries to access essential healthcare. THET has 25 years of commitment to building capacity for human resources for global health and developing the voluntary engagement of UK health professionals and health institutions in global health.

THET currently manages the DFID-funded Health Partnership Scheme (HPS). The HPS supports long-term, institutional partnerships between UK health institutions and their counterparts in low and middle income countries. Launched in 2009, the scheme has, to date, provided funding and technical support to 85 partnership projects. Over 25,000 health workers have received training and education across 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and over 1000 volunteers from the UK National Health Service (NHS) volunteered as part of strategic and long-term organisation arrangements.


1. Name of partnership
Nottingham-Kathmandu

Participating organisations
Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust
Paropkar Maternity and Women's Hospital
PHASE Worldwide
Nepal Network for Cancer Treatment and Research
Nepal Public Health Laboratory

Status (current/old/never funded)
Old (but active partnership)

Title of project
Training and capacity development for colposcopy and cervical pathology reporting in Kathmandu, Nepal

Aims/objectives
The project focused on training nurses and doctors as colposcopists and on training pathologists and laboratory staff to increase the accuracy of HG CIN detection methods. Training happened in the UK and in Nepal by UK volunteers from a range of NHS Trusts.

Start date
February 2012

Completion date
February 2014

Geographical area
Kathmandu with screening camps in local area.

Contacts
Dr David Nunns          


2. Name of partnership
Sheffield - Chitwan

Participating organisations
University of Sheffield
Chitwan Medical College
PHASE Worldwide

Status (current/old/never funded)
Funded in the past but currently dormant

Title of project
Setting up a partnership

Aims/objectives
The goals of the partnership are to:

1. Gaining a better understanding of the role of NCDs in Nepal, and developing sustainable strategies to address these. The primary goal here is to improve the health of the population in the catchment area of Chitwan Medical College, but it is hoped that this will also help to inform national policy in Nepal.

2. Developing a model for sustainable overseas electives for medical students that can be shared and reciprocated by other medical schools. By encouraging reflective learning and good preparation and offering institutional continuity, the pitfalls of current models of student electives should be avoided.

3. Building an ongoing partnership between the medical schools which will facilitate sustainable learning and will contribute to MDG 8: a sustainable international partnership. Teaching in Nepalese Medical schools is often very didactic and knowledge oriented. It is hoped that an exchange of teaching and learning skills may help to better prepare young Nepalese doctors for their role in rural areas of Nepal, where they often work in professional isolation.

Start date
December 2012

Completion date
June 2013

Geographical area
Chitwan

Contacts
Dr Michelle Marshall
Gerda Pohl


3. Name of partnership
PHASE - Gorkha

Participating organisations
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
District Health Office Gorkha
PHASE Nepal
PHASE Worldwide
The Market Surgery

Status (current/old/never funded)
Old (but active partnership)

Title of project
Improving maternal and child health care in remote rural Nepal by supporting primary care workers

Aims/objectives
The project delivered training and in-post supervisory visits to primary care health workers in the remote northern communities of Gorkha district. Training topics included emergency obstetric skills, the recognition of significant anxiety and depression in antenatal and postnatal patients and principles of Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses. Trainers included GPs and midwives from the UK.

Start date
February 2012

Completion date
February 2014

Geographical area
Gorkha District

Contacts
Gerda Pohl     


4. Name of partnership
Royal College of Midwives - Midwifery Society of Nepal

Participating organisations
Royal College of Midwives
Midwifery Society of Nepal

Status (current/old/never funded)
Current

Title of project
Global Midwifery Twinning Project

Aims/objectives
The project aims to strengthen the midwifery associations with identified high maternal and perinatal mortality - Cambodia, Nepal and Uganda by improving the standards, status and position of midwifery education, regulation and practice.

Start date
April 2014

Completion date
March 2015

Geographical area
National

Contacts
Joy Kemp
E-mail:

Delicia Egboh
Email:


5. Name of partnership: 
PARI

Participating organisations: 
University of Aberdeen, Bournemouth University, Tribhuvan University, University of Sheffield and the Development Resource Centre, a NGO in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Status
(old)  Funded by DelPHE, British Council

Title of project:  
Partnership on Improving Access to Research Literature for Higher Education Institutions in Nepal (PARI). 

Aims/objectives: 
PARI addressed gaps in learning about research at Nepalese universities.  It aimed to move university lecturers in the health and health sciences field in Nepal away from textbook teaching and access and assess academic publications available on the Internet.  PARI has reached over 750 health staff from across Nepal.   At a time when many students are leaving to study abroad, PARI strengthens research capacity in Nepal which in the long-run may encourage talented people to stay or return to help develop this great country. 

See also:  
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Pokharel, T., Devkota, B., Pathak, R.S. (2013) Research Methods Coverage in Medical & Health Science Curricula in Nepal, Nepal J Epidemiol 3(3): 253-58. www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/9185

Start date: 
2010

Completion date:
2013

Geographical area: 
Nepal (universities across the whole country)

Contacts
Dr. Padam Simkhada, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK   email: [email protected]

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, Bournemouth University, UK   email: 


6. Name of partnership:  
Green Tara Intervention & Research

Participating organisations:   
University of Aberdeen, Bournemouth University,  University of Sheffield, Green Tara Trust, London, UK and Green Tara Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Status
(current)   Funded by various foundations and charities

Title of project:  
Improving maternal health in rural Nepal through health promotion

Aims/objectives
·  To improve mother’s survival by focused pregnancy care, promotion of institutional deliveries and post-natal care including improved hygiene, self-care, family support and diet.

·  To improve other and newborns’ survival by use of skilled birth attendants at delivery, use of clean delivery kits in case of home deliveries and promotion of essential newborn care practices.

·  To increase women’s empowerment through strengthening group meetings and inter-group interaction, networking and advocacy.

·  To strengthen the community for identifying and solving health problems related to family planning, maternal, neonatal and child health using participatory approach.

Start date: 
2007

Completion date: 
on-going

Geographical area: 
Pharphing, and Nawalparasi

Contacts:            
Padmadharini, Green Tara Trust, London, UK    

Amit Dhungel, Green Tara Nepal   email: 

Dr. Padam Simkhada, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK   email: [email protected]

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, Bournemouth University, UK   email: 


7. Name of partnership: 
Trekking guides’ research

Participating organisations:
University of Aberdeen, Bournemouth University,  University of Sheffield

Status
(current)

Title of project:
Sexual health of trekking guides in Nepal

Aims/objectives:
To study issues around sexual interaction between male trekking guides and female travellers and/or local female sex workers in Nepal. This mixed methods qualitative study explored trekking guides' sexual health behaviour, attitudes, knowledge, sexual relationships and condom use with female trekkers and local female sex workers

Start date      
2009

Completion date  
on going

Geographical area: 
Mountain areas of Nepal

Contacts
Dr. Padam Simkhada, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK   email: [email protected]

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, Bournemouth University, UK   email: 


8. Name of partnership:
Research and Policy

Participating organisations:
University of Sheffield, Bournemouth University, Shakti Shamuha Nepal (NGO lead by trafficked survival), and Green Tara Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Status:
Current (funded by Sheffield University)

Title of project:
Research on sex trafficking of women in Nepal

Aims/objectives:
Thousands of Nepalese girls are trafficked to India and other neighbouring countries every year, primarily for sex work and the majority return to Nepal after spending a years in sex trade. The aim of this study was to increase understanding regarding the context of sex trafficking, the methods and means of trafficking, living conditions in brothels and survival strategies among trafficked girls.

Start date:
2013

Completion date:
2014

Geographical area:
National

Contacts:
Dr. Padam Simkhada, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK  
email: [email protected]

Prof Paul Bissell, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK
Email:


9. Name of partnership:
Research

Participating organisations:
Bournemouth University, University of Sheffield, Liverpool John Mooris University UK and Green Tara Nepal

Status:
Current   (funded by Bournemouth University, UK)

Title of project:
Reducing maternal mortality- Learning from Nepal

Aims/objectives:
Maternal mortality levels have been advocated as a marker for development. Despite widespread poverty and disparities in economic growth, there has been an unforeseen reduction of maternal mortality in Nepal. This study will seek evidence for how different aspects of development drive reduction in maternal mortality and facilitate understanding of the changing context of development to inform development policy.

Study objectives

  • To ascertain why there has been a reduction in maternal mortality in Nepal from a multi-sector development perspective to include political, financial, social, demographic and health systems factors.
  • To quantify the relative contributions of various indicators of development by constructing a model for maternal mortality as an outcome.
  • To engage decision makers so that investments for development (in Nepal and globally) are informed by the evidence generated.

Start date:
2014

Completion date:
2015

Geographical area:
National

Contacts:
Dr. Padam Simkhada, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK   email: [email protected]

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, Bournemouth University, UK   email: 


10. Name of partnership:
Research database setup

Participating organisations:
Bournemouth University, University of Sheffield, Liverpool John Moore’s University UK and Pourakhi Nepal (NGO working with migrants women) 

Status (current/old/never funded):
Current

Title of project: Impacts of female migration: developing a national database in Nepal

Aims/objectives:
There is more male out migration from Nepal however there has also been a rapid growth of women international migration in recent years.
The effects of female migration at individual, family and social level are little known in the Nepalese context. A recent qualitative study conducted by UK Universities (Sheffield and Bournemouth) and POURAKHI(NGO of women migrant workers) suggests that female migrants, particularly migrant domestic workers might be expected to work long hours and to be available around the clock. Many of these women are not given any days off and frequently their promised wages are reduced or withheld completely. This study also highlighted the concern over the health and wellbeing of the women migrant. Since 2008, Pourakhi has collected on paper records  information about migrants women, including demographic details and details of health conditions of migrant women.  They have gathered information on 1,000+ migrant women. This is the only one NGO with such details about female migration in Nepal. This information could be very valuable both for policy formation and academic research if it is entered properly in an electronic database. The aim of this project is to setup the scientific database of female migration.

Start date:
2014

Completion date:
ongoing

Geographical area:
National

Contacts:
Dr. Padam Simkhada, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK   email: [email protected]

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, Bournemouth University, UK   email: 

Ms Manju Gurung- Chairperson-Pourakhi
House No:26, Makhamali Marg Dharapati, Maharajgunj Kathmandu, Nepal
Email: ;

Health Partnership NepalHealth Partnership Nepal (HPN) is a partnership between St Georges, University of London, and Nepal Medical College & Teaching Hospital, established in 2007. It is a charity registered in the UK and aims:


  • To relieve sickness and the preserve health among people residing permanently or temporarily in rural Nepal
  • To advance health education of the general public in rural Nepal
  • To advance the education and training of Nepalese students and healthcare professionals participating with HPN

HPN is organised and run by student committees based at St Georges, University of London (SGUL), and Nepal Medical College & Teaching Hospital (NMCTH). Every year since 2009, final year medical students from SGUL have travelled to Nepal for their elective, with doctors and nurses from SGUL, to run medical and surgical camps in rural Nepal in partnership with doctors and students from NMCTH.

In 2012 a new affiliation was developed with PHASE, a Nepal based charity, to employ a health worker in order to provide a year round benefit to the local population. The health worker oversees health outpostings in very isolated communities. From 2012 students will visit these health outpostings, replacing the medical camp. The 2012 surgical camp is based at Gorkha District Hospital.


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