Nepal | Laerdal Global Health

Nepal in focus

Working together for quality healthcare across the whole country

The Challenge

In Nepal, basic healthcare services are accessible to nearly 60% of the population, however, there remains a lack of quality healthcare. Healthcare systems are challenged by a shortage of skilled providers, limited training opportunities, and the transference of knowledge and skills from education to clinical practice.

How we help

We collaborate with government, partners, professional associations and institutions to develop programs with simulation-based methodology at their core. With a focus on the standardization of competency-based education, we help to develop a supportive infrastructure under which healthcare systems can be strengthened and healthcare workers can become competent, confident and better prepared individually and as a team.

The impact

Together with partners, we’ve been involved in numerous programs and initiatives that have been implemented across the length and breadth of the country. To date, these projects have trained more than 12,000 health workers, reaching an estimated 1.3 million lives. We work closely with Ministries of Health and Population, Department of Health Services, external development partners, professional councils, associations and institutions to obtain buy-in and ownership, which is critical to ensure success is scalable and sustainable over time.

The program

Scaling up simulation-based education with partners, professional associations, and government stakeholders

In collaboration with national partners in Nepal, simulation based approaches have been integrated and implemented into capacity building and quality improvement programs and initiatives with focus on health care training ecosystem beings strengthened, trainers are well equipped with simulation facilitation skills and health care professionals are competent, confident and better prepared to deliver high quality care. The SimBegin program strengthens faculty capacity to deliver high quality simulation methodology, while training in Essential Newborn Care and Basic Life Support/Advanced Cardiac Life Support prepares healthcare personnel to manage emergencies such as postpartum hemorrhage and birth asphyxia.

How We Collaborate

Partner with national institutions to integrate and deliver structured, quality simulation-based education programs.
Build faculty capacity through Skills and SimBegin to ensure sustainable, high-quality simulation training to maximize learning outcomes.
Support in setting up environment to conduct and practice skills and simulation sessions effectively.
Equip healthcare providers with practical skills, tools and solutions to effectively provide quality maternal, neonatal and emergency care.
Utilize the Circle of Learning framework to design impactful quality improvement programs.

Goal

To strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers and faculty through simulation-based training for maternal and neonatal emergencies.

Key Partners

Ministry of Health and Population
Family Welfare Division
National Health Training Centre
World Health Organization
UNICEF
UNFPA
OHW
Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences / Dhulikhel Hospital
National Academy of Medical Sciences
Midwifery Society of Nepal
Safa Sunaulo Nepal / Latter Day Saint Charities
Terre des Hommes Nepal
Centre for Medical Simulation
SAFER
Norway

The program

Strengthening Competency and Quality Improvement in Maternal and Newborn Care

A program to address the urgent need to improve quality of maternal and newborn care, focused on building capacity of over 330 healthcare workers in 10 facilities across the Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces supporting more than 30,000 births every year.

How We Collaborate

Contribute learnings from the Safer Births Bundle of Care approach, including them in the quality improvement processes
Undertake needs assessment of participating facilities to understand simulation-training readiness
Integrate a culture of responsive, low-dose, high-frequency skills and simulation sessions
Technical support for gathering and utilizing training data and use simulation to inform quality improvement.

Goal

To establish a culture of cost-effective, sustainable, scaleable simulation-based capacity building in health facilities to improve the quality-of-care mothers and newborns receive.

The program

Integration of Simulation for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Component in Pre-service Medical, Nursing and Midwifery Education

The program, which reached almost 3000 students, integrated SRHR competencies, skills training, and simulation methodology into pre-service medical, nursing and midwifery curricula. This was achieved through the establishment of 10 simulation labs, strengthening faculty capacity through training and mentoring, and conducting operational research. A three-point baseline, midline, and endline assessment demonstrated statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) in students’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in SRHR.

How We Collaborate

Co-develop and integrate simulation-based SRHR competencies into the pre-service medical, nursing and midwifery curricula.
Build faculty capacity to deliver competency-based and simulation-
based methodologies through structured training, mentorship, and continuous support.
Setting up high quality skills and simulation labs to practice the SRHR competencies using Circle of Learning framework.
Conduct joint monitoring, evaluation, and operational research to strengthen learning outcomes and sustainability.

Goal

To strengthen pre-service medical, nursing, and midwifery education by integrating simulation-based Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) competencies into core curricula.

Building a Scalable Emergency Care Training System in Nepal

In remote areas in Nepal, the lack of efficient training tools for healthcare workers is a major challenge for access to capacity building in effective emergency response.

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2025 Highlights from our focus countries

Working in close partnership with the Government of Nepal, partners, and health institutions, we’re focused on building a sustainable, country-context approach towards the use of simulation for quality to strengthen health systems.

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Strengthening Maternal and Newborn Care with UNICEF

Laerdal Global Health is collaborating with UNICEF and the Simulation Society of Nepal in an innovative three-year project, running from 2024-2027.

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To learn more about our projects to strengthen healthcare education in Nepal Download PDF

Connect with us

Meet the Nepal Team

Unisha Shrestha

Country Manager, Nepal

Suchana Thapa

Senior Implementation Specialist, Nepal

Baidehi Upadhyaya

Implementation Specialist, Nepal