Nepal

The Nepal country profile provides an overview of the community health system in Nepal according to the most up-to-date policies available. It particularly focuses on the country’s community health providers, the structures that support them, and the services they deliver across many health areas – with a spotlight on family planning. The profile is targeted towards policymakers, program implementers, donors, researchers, and others interested in the country’s community health system.

The table below captures key information from the full, downloadable country profile. The complete CHS Catalog data set is also available for download, including information for Nepal.

Community Health Quick Stats

Main Community Health Policy / Strategy | Last Updated
  • National Female Community Health Volunteer Program Strategy | 2010
  • National Health Policy 2014 | 2014
Number of Community Health Provider Cadres

3 main cadres

  • Auxiliary health workers (AHWs)
  • Auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs)
  • Female community health volunteers (FCHVs)
Recommended Number of Community Health Providers
  • 4,012 AHWs
  • 4,012 ANMs
  • 48,946 FCHVs
Estimated Number of Community Health Providers
  • 3,600 AHWs
  • 3,600 ANMs
  • 47,000 FCHVs
Recommended Ratio of Community Health Providers to Beneficiaries
  • 1 AHW : 1 health facility¹
  • 1 ANM : 1 health facility¹
  • Ward-based: 1 FCHV: 100–500 people; Population-based: 1 FCHV : 150 people (Mountain District); 1 FCHV : 250 people (Hill District); 1 FCHV : 500 people (Terai/Plain District)²
Community-Level Data Collection Yes
Levels of Management of Community-Level Service Delivery

Central, regional, district, community
Key Community Health Program(s)

FCHV Program as well as other national health-focused programs (FP; nutrition; immunization; MNCH; community-based integrated management of newborn and childhood illness (CB-IMNCI)³; etc.)

1 The recommended ratio of AHWs and ANMs is based not on the number of beneficiaries but on the number of health facilities (primary health care centers or health posts).
2 Districts use either the number of wards or their population to determine the recommended FCHV to beneficiary ratio. FCHVs are therefore considered to be either ward-based or population-based. In population-based districts, the ratio depends on the geographic designation: Mountain, Hill, or Terai/Plain Districts.
3 The community-based integrated management of childhood illness and the community-based newborn care packages were integrated in 2014-2015 to become the CB-IMNCI program.

Key Policies and Strategies

Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training, Curriculum Development Division. 2014a. Curriculum Technical School Leaving Certificate Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (Post-SLC Program). Sanothimi, Bhaktapur: Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training, Curriculum Development Division (accessed August 2016).

———. 2014b. Curriculum Technical School Leaving Certificate Community Medicine Assistant (Pre- SLC Program). Sanothimi, Bhaktapur: Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training, Curriculum Development Division (accessed August 2016).

Ministry of Health and Population. 2011. National List of Essential Medicines, 2011 (accessed August 2016).

Ministry of Health and Population, Department of Health Services, Family Health Division, Government of Nepal. 2010a. National Female Community Health Volunteer Program Strategy 2067 (2010) (accessed August 2016).

———. 2010b. National Female Community Health Volunteer Program Strategy 2067 (2010) Unofficial Translation (accessed January 2016).

———. 2011. Family Planning Services-National Work Policy 2011/12.

———. 2014. Female Community Health Volunteer Basic Training Manual.

Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal. 2014a. National Health Policy 2071(2014) (accessed August 2016).

———. 2014b. National Health Policy 2071(2014), Unofficial translation (accessed August 2016).