Ultrasound Training to Staff Nurses working in rural health facilities of Lumbini Province
At the request of Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Lumbini Province, FAIRMED Nepal in joint collaboration with United Mission to Nepal (UMN) funded the Health Training Centre of Lumbini Province to organize a two-day training on operating portable ultrasound machine on 13th and 14th July at Hotel The Butwal View. The event was inaugurated by Mr. Maheshwor Shrestha (Director of Province Health Training Centre) in presence of Dr. Bikash Devkota (Secretary of MoHP, Lumbini Province) as chief guest.
Although the government had provided a three-week long basic ultrasound training to identify gestational abnormalities, the health staff were not familiar with how to operate the new USG machine. During this course, 21 staff nurses working in rural health posts and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) from 12 districts of Lumbini Province developed the skill to use the USG machine that will enable them in timely identification of obstetric complications in pregnant women. This will assist them in identifying cases to be referred to comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care (CEONC) centres.
The event was facilitated by trainers from Generous Suppliers from where the province government purchased the ultrasound machine. At the end of the event, the equipment was handed over to the participants by Health Minister of the province, Bhoj Prasad Shrestha. Among the participants, three were from the working municipalities/rural municipalities (Maharajgunj, Kotahimai and Palahinandan) of Essential Health Project (EHP).
FAIRMED Nepal provided technical support to the Province Health Training Centre in overall management of the event and monitored the program to ensure quality assurance. FAIRMED Nepal will also carry out monitoring and onsite visit, jointly, with the training centre to observe the effectiveness of USG program in the upcoming days.
Overall, the training is expected to contribute in reducing the maternal and neonatal deaths by identifying early complications during pregnancy, delivery, and post-partum period which is one of the major objectives of FAIRMED’s Essential Health Project.