To Whom It May Concern, Ministry of Health and Population

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News 5th October 2007

This is to commend the works of the South Asia Foundation (SAF-Nepal) for the successful implementation of training of the first batch of Madanjeet Singh Assistant Nurse Mid-Wife (ANM) Scholarship consisting of girls from the six poorest districts of Pyuthan, Mugu, Darchula, Kapalwastu, Siraha and Rameechap.

We understand that the training has been undertaken through the active partnership of organizations such as: SAF, PAF, CTEVT, Jiri Technical School, and Thapathali Maternity Hospital.

The 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey shows that the proportion of births attended by skilled health workers in Nepal is only 19% which is far behind the Millennium Development Goal of 60% by 2015.

In this regard, the aforementioned public-private initiative would greatly complement the efforts of the ministry of Health and Population to meeting the national goal of having skilled health workers at every birth, regardless the geographic location and Socio-economic condition.

In the days ahead, We hope the SAF-Nepal will not only continue its Madanjeet Singh ANM scholarship for the training of ANM among the poorest and disadvantaged groups of women but also gradually increase the number of scholarship so that more and more rural women can be saved from preventable death due to complications of pregnancy and child birth.

Ram Babu Rimal
Under secretary, Policy Planning and International Cooperation Division, Ministry of Health and Population