laxtshering

I believe that I am a changemaker because I have been able to establish the first and only nurse-midwives led 15-bedded free-standing birthing centre named “Aadharbhut Prasuti Sewa (APS) Kendra” in Nepal with the mission to provide quality cost-effective round the clock “women-couple- child friendly” basic maternal and child including reproductive health services to urban poor families in order to assist government of Nepal in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in the country. This centre has been established in July 2007 in the Kathmandu valley in my own initiative and effort in the partnership and contribution of 11 qualified and experienced nurses who are working for maternal and child health. The centre provides high quality, affordable health care services to urban poor families, especially women, youth, young families, and the childrent. These include
antenatal care, postnatal care, delivery in a home-like environment accompanied by husband or relatives, family planning, comprehensive abortion care, sexually transmitted infections management and counseling, HIV/AIDS counseling and testing, cervical cancer screening (Pap Smear), Specialist clinic: Obs/Gynae and Family Physician, adolescent sexual and reproductive health services, routine immunization, integrated management of childhood illness, and management of minor illnesses and injuries including dressing and counseling. It also carry out awareness raising activities, biannual Free women’s health camp in the occasion of Women’s Day and National Women’s Festival “TEEJ”, pharmacy, laboratory, ultrasongrahpy, home visit as per the request other then delivery case (for the postnatal mothers visit is compulsory in the second day after discharge from the centre), research and advocacy, volunteering opportunities for newly graduates nursing students, and referral linkage to tertiary level hospitals.
APS is using following approaches to delivery maternal and child health including reproductive health services:Based on Primary health care principle; Focused on health promotion, diseases prevention, integrated Reproductive health and child health services; Community-oriented, 24 hours availability of services; and Private Public Partnership (Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal).

I feel so good and fond working for the upliftment of women's health with female health professional, especially nurses in providing maternal and child health including reproductive health services because I am doing two great works at the same time. These include serving urban poor families and promoting independent professional practices through evidence-based care.
I want to see that every childbearing Nepalese woman and their families accessing individualised women-and family-centred cost-effective evidence based quality midwifery care by promoting and strenthening midwifery education, practice and regulation in the country.
I am a registred nurse with public health background. I hold Master of Public Health degree from Australia in 2006. I have extensive experience working in different settings, with diverse communities, in hospitals, national and international developmental agencies and educational institutions since 1995.

I am committed to promote independent midwifery practice in Nepal to encourage natural, holistic and low intervention care for women wherever possible, while being vigilant in recognizing risks and acting promptly and responsibly to achieve safety and well-being to both mother and baby. My goals are to work toward raising the standards of midwifery education and practice in Nepal and to work persistently for safe motherhood and women's empowerment. I have successfully established the first and only independent nurse-midwives-led birthing centre in Nepal.

Recently, on October 2009 I got an opportunity to take part in the International Training Programme on Strenthening Midwifery Competence in Sexual and Reproductive health services organised by Karloniska Institutet, Sweden funded by SIDA that was held in Stocholm, Sweden from 5-30 October. A part of this training program I am conducting a research project on "Nurse-midwives' views towards strengthening midwifery education and practice in Nepal". I had also presented a paper on " Factors that persuaded nurses to establish a Maternity Care Centre: Expirence from Nepal" in the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Asia-Pacific Midwives Conference held in Hyderabad, India from 19-22 November 2009. From last few months, I am actively engaging in forming the midwifery society in Nepal as per the advised and suggestions of ICM and UNFPA.