Project Example

Capacity Strengthening Planning Report for National Health, Education, Information and Communication Centre-Nepal

This report is based on the information collected as part of a capacity assessment and planning exercise under the Nepal – HC3 Project. Information was collected through a desk review of key National Health, Education, Information and Communication Centre (NHEICC) documents, a participatory assessment and planning process, and in-depth interviews with internal staff at the central level.

The purpose of this report is to highlight key areas of strengths and weaknesses, provide recommendations for the immediate and long term, and provide a starting point for identifying next steps together with the NHEICC.

The primary goal of this capacity strengthening and planning exercise was to collect qualitative information to understand the capacity of the NHEICC from the perspective of current staff to lead and coordinate social and behavior change communication (SBCC) efforts in Nepal, including SBCC knowledge, coordinating mechanisms, and factors that facilitate and inhibit their health promotion and communication work.

The findings have been categorized under Institutional Capacity and Technical Capacity. Leadership, Human resources, Coordination and support, and Financial resources fall under Institutional capacity while Training in BCC and IEC interventions, Methodological Holistic Approach, Monitoring of BCC and IEC interventions, Evaluation of BCC and IEC interventions, and Knowledge Management are under Technical Capacity.

Based on the findings of the capacity assessment, the following key actions are recommended:

  • Short term: provide SBCC training for NHEICC staff to strengthen their health communication strategy development skills;
  • Medium term: work with the NHEICC to improve knowledge management capacity and facilities including resource center and website development; and,
  • Long term: work with the NHEICC to position themselves to be able to advocate to the Ministry of Health and Population to ensure that health promotion is budgeted.

Source: The Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs

Date of Publication: April 29, 2019