RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE FINAL REPORT FOR This document compiles introduction of the project, information on the program implementation, program design, main achievements made and constraint faced during the implementation period and lessons learnt. [ A n t e n n a F o u n d a t i o n Ne p a l ] [ K u s u n t i M a r g , E k a n t a k u n a , L a k i t p u r ] [ 5 0 0 0 0 8 4 , 5 0 0 0 0 8 0 ] [5 5 4 5 8 5 7 ] [ 3 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 5 ] FINAL REPORT FOR RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE SUB-CONTRACT INFORMATION Subcontract Number 5-330-0213728-field under USAID Contract Number AID-367-C-13- 00001 entitled “Communication program initiative under the funding support of Health for Life” Name of Sub-Contractor: Antenna Foundation Nepal Date of Submission: 4 February 2015 Date Page 1 FINAL REPORT FOR RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE LIST OF ABBREVIATION AFN Antenna Foundation Nepal AHW Auxiliary Health Worker ANM Auxiliary Nurse Midwife CAG Content Advisory Group DPHO District Public Health Office DHO District Health Office FCHVs Female Community Health Volunteers FM Frequency Modulation H4L Health for Life HIV/AIDS and STD Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and Sexually Transmitted Disease HFOMC Health Facility Operation and Management Committee JKLS Jeewan Ka Lagi Swasthya Date Page 2 FINAL REPORT FOR RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The main achievements made during the implementation period are - x Enhanced capacity of radio program producers in areas of quality radio content by including field reports, investigative reporting, stories of success and failures; production of radio PSAs; skills for conducting public hearing x Promoted health as a “main news” by radio stations like Radio Buddha Awaaj, Kapilvastu FM, Dhurbatara FM, Deurali FM, Radio Bheri, Bulbule FM, Nepali Awaaj, Radio Krishnasar, Radio Tulsipur, Naya Yug FM, Sworgadwari FM, Radio Kapurkot, Radio Rapti, Radio Sisne, Radio Rolpa and Radio Mandavi. “Health” getting a space in main news has been successful in advocating health stakeholders towards a positive action in health sector. x Improved services of health facilities including appointment of AHW and health assistants; filling up of important vacant posts; improving sanitation of health posts; procuring medicines, stretcher, ambulance and other necessary equipments at birthing center x Advocacy for better infrastructure and accountability of health workers: people are now aware of different facilities and services available from health facilities, different posts, and provision of action against absentee workers. People have been pro-active in demanding of birthing centers, medicines, facilities and services from health institutions and questioning health post for services and other pressing issues along with support from radios. This has made duty bearers and stakeholders more responsive towards their duty. x Fulfilled gaps between service seekers and service providers: radio and public hearing has served as platform for connecting service seekers and service providers. Service seekers directly interact with service providers in sharing their problems and challenges for quality health service. On the other hand, service providers share about different health facilities and services; clarify myths around health facilities; take action against the wrongdoer and commit for a better health service. The main constraints that have affected in program implementation are as follows- Weak capacity Radio stations like Argakhachi FM, Ramgyanu FM, Khalanga FM and Nari Awaaj FM have weak production and technical capacity thus effecting timely and quality production of radio programs. During load shedding hours, radio broadcasting is halted due to absence of back up in some radio stations. Coordination with District Health Officers Some radio stations like Radio Rolpa and Radio Argakhachi faced difficulty in coordination with public health office for content approval and interviewing and while coordinating for public hearing. Date Page 3 FINAL REPORT FOR RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE Difficulty in individual mentoring It is difficult for one producer at Antenna to minutely observe 28 scripts and mentor producers for quality content every week. Producer’s multiple responsibilities Majority of the producers are engaged in multi-tasking apart from H4L project activities including both responsibility for producing radio programs to conducting public hearing; they are also responsible for other works in the radio station. Thus, they are overburdened. Moreover, in absence of responsible person not receiving payment for their set task their motivation level is low. Change in management/producers Project activities – CAG meeting, radio program production and public hearing were hampered due to change in management of radio stations like Lisne Awaaj and Mandavi for almost 2-3 months. While in some radio stations change in producer effect project activities. Issue planning/changing It has been challenging for radio stations to follow up the issue suggested by DPHO and DHO for producing radio program as sometimes it is more focused on the emergent local issue rather than complimenting to H4L objective. Thus producers had to revisit scripts in such cases to include matters related to family planning, maternal and new born child health issues as suggested by AFN. Weather threats and festivals Monsoon, floods and festivals like Dashain resulted in postponement of public hearing and problems in field works for collecting reports for radio program. Date Page 4 FINAL REPORT FOR RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE 1. BACKGROUND / PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION Antenna Foundation Nepal is an independent, non-governmental and non-profit organization, dedicated to the development of public broadcasting in Nepal. Antenna has excelled in production of high quality radio programs including political affairs, health, democratic, gender, peace and justice, and child issues; TV and Radio PSAs along with online and social media messaging. It has in house training service and has experience of training of over 500 journalists. Antenna Foundation Nepal (AFN) has successfully implemented a 15 month communication program initiatives since 13 October 2013. At the inception phase, 28 radio program producers and program managers from 14 project districts in the mid western and western region were oriented on the objectives, designing and developing radio program and process of conducting radio programs and public hearing. The 14 project districts included Arghakhachi, Banke, Bardiya, Dailekh, Dang, Jajarkot, Jumla, Kalikot, Kapilvastu, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and Surkhet. The scripts prepared by the producers are sent at Antenna for editing and further refining. Scripts are thus edited and producers mentored on key components like language, format, communication approach, program packaging for improved quality content. The suggestions are thus incorporated by producers and presented at Content Advisory Group (CAG) meeting. CAG meeting thus approves the script after overseeing content accuracy and possible technical errors. CAG also suggest health experts for interviews along with VDCs for public hearings decided. Another major activity is public hearing that brought together locals and health representative in a common platform whereby health services and facilities provided by health post is informed to the public; and problems and challenges of service providers and service seekers in health facilities are freely discussed and commitment made for solution through a joint effort of health stakeholders and public. Output from both events provided sound information for devising radio programs. The project worked with wide range of stakeholders, including District Public Health Office, District Health Office, Female Community Health Volunteers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, Doctors, Health Supervisors and In-charges, Academics (Teachers/Professors) and civil society organizations, Representatives from family planning association. Major beneficiaries are poor, adolescent, women and marginalized groups and disadvantaged adolescent girls. The radio contents focus on reproductive and sexual health, new born care and child health, family planning particularly on birth spacing and contraception, HIV/AIDS and STDs, antenatal and post natal care/safe motherhood based on behavioral and attitudinal change both in terms of service seekers and service providers to improve quality of health service delivery and governance system of health institutions. Date Page 5 FINAL REPORT FOR RTI, HEALTH FOR LIFE 2. PROGRAMMATIC ACHIEVEMENTS 1.1. OBJECTIVE WISE The major objective of 13 months project was to provide technical assistance for building capacity of radio program producers in producing quality radio health programs by focusing on behavior change communication approach for improving behaviors to adopt healthy practices for quality life; designing the programs that would encourage them for service seeking behavior and influencing institutional practices for delivering necessary health services/facilities. In the duration of program period, with the focus of capacity building of program producers the following achievements were made: 2.1.1 Planning a script Program producers have gained knowledge on well planning the script by including key messages and general focus, data to substantiate the information, voices/experiences of people of target communities, views of health experts, successful case stories, features based on research of the target communities and interactive platform for audiences