Nepalese Health Fairs - Nepal

The SQH social franchise was launched in July 2003 in order to support His Majesty's Government health objectives of strengthening the private sector's ability to contribute to national public sector health goals. SQH's trained providers offer what PSI describes as affordable, reliable family planning products and services; PSI trains and monitors providers' performance to ensure high-quality standards in service provision based on international best practices. SQH offers a friendly atmosphere and comfortable counseling for family planning, with plans to expand into other reproductive and maternal and child health services in the future. As of this writing, 115 health providers from 53 branded outlets have been trained in family planning service provision and currently operate within peri-urban communities within the Kathmandu Valley.

In an effort to raise awareness and promote the network and its services, PSI/Nepal launched a campaign featuring press and radio advertisements, wall paintings, posters, leaflets, and a series of 12 community health fairs. The fairs, occurring over 12 weekends around the Kathmandu Valley, provide free general health check-ups as well as affordable family planning services conducted from a brightly coloured SQH mobile clinic. Services including temporary contraceptive methods (Dhal condoms, Nilocon White and Sunaolo Gulaf oral contraceptives and Sangini injectables), semi-permanent methods (inter-uterine devices), and permanent methods (such as vasectomy for men and mini laparotomy for women), are available at the health fairs.

The health fairs address a broad range of health issues affecting the lives of Nepali families, including HIV. At each event young people talk to their peers and promote responsible sexual behaviour through PSI/Nepal "ABC's of LOVE!" campaign. The latter refers to an effort to promote responsible sexual behaviour and HIV/AIDS prevention through the ABCs: Abstinence, Be Faithful, and Condoms. These efforts support use of PSI/Nepal's Number One condom, which was launched on April 13 2003 in a highly publicised event coinciding with the Nepalese New Year. In order not to stigmatise the brand image, PSI first established the brand broadly across the youth segment before focussing on high-risk and vulnerable groups. The brand, coupled with ABC messages, has been promoted using a mix of entertainment and education. Recent placement activities have focussed on non-traditional outlets such as cabin restaurants, dance restaurants, and massage parlors. In the 7 months of distribution, 3.51 million Number One condoms were sold.

The health fairs are intended to be fun for the entire family. They feature street plays, a short drama film, games, and magic shows to entertain and educate crowds on family planning issues. "By using entertainment at the health fairs, it is hoped the activities supporting the Sun Quality Health fairs will increase dialogue on important health issues within families, address some of the barriers to family planning uptake and usage and ultimately improve the health of Nepali families," says PSI Country Representative Steven Honeyman.

Family Planning, HIV/AIDS, Youth.

According to UN indicators, Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries. An estimated 40% of the population lives below the poverty line; more than a quarter of currently married women have an unmet need for family planning. Research indicates that HIV prevalence has increased dramatically within high risk groups in the past few years in Nepal.

Organisers plan to extend the geographical reach and programme depth of the SQH social franchise network by expanding into 4 additional districts, introducing a franchise-exclusive family planning range, and adding sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis and treatment to the range of services offered.

The PSI/Nepal social marketing programme is focussed on delivering health products, services, and behaviour change communication messages and skills to low-income and vulnerable populations in an effort to enable them to make informed health decisions and adopt healthier behaviours. The broad market segment is young men and women of reproductive age. PSI opened this office in 2002.