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| NSI Trainings |
| Skilled Birth Attendants |
 Each day in Nepal,12 mothers and 75 new-born babies die in childbirth. Most of the mothers die of severe bleeding, a complication that can be treated even in basic health centers. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR), which is an indicator of the over-all health of a population, stands at 540 deaths per 100,000 births in Nepal. This ranks among the highest in the world. In comparison, MMR is 90 in Sri Lanka and just 8 per 100,000 in the U.S.
Although many factors contribute to maternal mortality, medical experts from around the world have identified the lack of access to a trained midwife as being at the top of the list. Only when a large proportion of women are cared for by skilled attendants can this mortality rate drop significantly. At present, only 13% of births in Nepal are attended by a trained health care worker of any kind, and for the poorest 20% of families, this figure is only 3%.
Over the last 3 years, a number of external development partners - mainly DFID, USAID, UNICEF, and Save the Children - have been working with the Nepal Government's Health Ministry to bring the concept of "Skilled Birth Attendant"(SBA) to Nepal. They have progressed to developing an approved training package, which includes the transmission of 27 essential skills. This package can be applied to midwives, staff nurses, and doctors - because SBAs are needed across all levels.
Nepal's Health Ministry estimates that over the next 5 years Nepal must increase its number of SBAs from the 300 it now has to 4,500. This challenge presents an opportunity for NSI to contribute by providing this training.
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Facts About the Training
| Entry |
Midwives, staff nurses, and doctors |
| Length |
3 months for an upgrade course
18 months for a new class of midwife |
| Place |
Hospitals with high number of births
Birthing centers |
| Skills acquired |
Able to conduct safe normal deliveries and handle most complications |
| Relevance |
Critical to reducing Nepal's high maternal mortality rate |
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