Publication:

The female community health volunteers: unsung heroes

In the 1980s, Nepal commenced a programme of female community health volunteers (FCHVs), commonly known as “Mahila swoyemsewika”, which means “female volunteer”. Their roles were to support family planning in the early days, especially by distributing birth control pills and condoms. Gradually, their roles were extended to include other programmes. The volunteers are influential in achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals and other targets. This programme has been the backbone of the health system in Nepal for the past three decades.