Background

The National Health Education, Information and Communication Centre (NHEICC) is the apex body under the Ministry of Health and Population for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating Nepal’s health promotion, education and communication programmes including periodic surveys and research.

National Health Education, Information and Communication Centre (NHEICC) was established under the Department of Health Services (DoHS) in 1993 during the restructuring process as a focal point of Ministry of Health and Population for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health promotion and communication programs of all health programs and services in an integrated manner.

Key functions

NHEICC supports all 3 divisions to plan, implement, and monitor and evaluate all health promotion and education and health communication programs including developing, producing and disseminating IEC/BCC materials.

The Scope of the centre is guided by the National Health Communication Policy 2012 and the National Health Policy 2014, communication strategies and other health related plans and policies. The centre functions to support health programmes and services to achieve national health goals and SDGs through health promotion, education, information and communication approach. The centre is the lead for all health promotion, education and communication programmes including multi-sectoral health initiatives. The centre uses advocacy, social mobilization and marketing, behaviour change and community lead social change strategies to implement its programmes.

Goal

The goal of the National Health Education, information and Communication program is to contribute to attaining the national health programme goals and objectives by providing support for all health services and programmes.

Program Objectives

General Objective

The general objective of National Health Education, information and Communication program is to raise the health awareness of the people as a means to promote improved health status and to prevent disease through the efforts of the people themselves and through full utilization of available resources.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the IEC/BCC programs are to:

• Increase awareness and knowledge of the people on health issues.
• Promote desired behavior change on EHCS and beyond.
• Create demand for quality EHCS among all castes and ethnic groups, and disadvantaged and hard to reach populations.
• Advocate for required resources (human and financial) and capacity development.
• Increase access to new information and technology on health programmes.
• Promote environment health, hygiene and sanitation.
• Control Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and its risk factors.

Program Major Strategies

• Health communication programs will be implemented through health structures at centre, region, district and community levels in decentralized manner.
• Coordination and collaboration will be made with local bodies and other stakeholders for implementing health communication programs in decentralized manner.
• The policy of planning and implementing health related communication programs of all health service and programs in one door system and integrated approach will be implemented through Ministry of Health and Population, National Health Education, Information and Communication Centre.
• Advocacy, community mobilization and behavior change communication programs will be implemented at different levels by formulating subject wise health communication strategies of health services and programs in an integrated manner.
• Health communication programs of different health service and programs will be integrated while formulating annual programs and budget of Ministry of Health and Population and will be implemented through National Health Education, Information and Communication Centre.
• Budget will be allocated annually according to the policy for the implementation of health communication related programs while formulating annual program and budget.
• The bodies under UN and external development partners will be encouraged and facilitated to invest in health communication programs.
• Certain tax will be levied on any services or commodities used by general public and on behavior or commodities that adversely affect health. Some percent of the tax will be deposited in health messages or information dissemination management fund for utilizing to implement health promotion and communication programs.
• The practice of free distribution and use will be discouraged and managed by developing standards of health related communication messages or information, materials, equipment and services.
• Health Communication Coordination Committee will be formed comprising stakeholders to assist in the implementation of policy and decisions taken by high level health communication direction committee.
• Adolescents, youths, journalists, professionals, institution and various organizations will be mobilized for the promotion of healthy behavior, basic health services and programs in coordination and collaboration with different relevant ministries and institutions.
• Modern electronic communication media such as radio, television, FM radio, website, telephone, mobile etc will also be used timely to disseminate health messages. Arrangements will be made to include health message and its link in all governmental websites.
• Booklet, pamphlet, poster, calendar, dairy, signage, sticker, flip-chart, wall chart, flyer, flash card, flex, bulletin hoarding board will be produced, published and displayed for effective dissemination of health message or information. Also health messages or information will be published and displayed through various means and materials like outer cover page of text and practical books, package and bags of various materials and food items, tickets, postal letters, T-shirts.
• Traditional and local folk art, culture and rituals like Maruni, Rodi, Dhan Nach, Shakewa Nach, Nautanki, Dohori Geet, Deuda, Ghatu, Dhami Jhankri, Gaine, Fine Art, Street Drama, Puppet Dance, Miking etc of powerful folk communication media and its related arts will be used timely to disseminate health related messages or information.
• Various carnivals, festivals, days, events, exhibitions will be organized to spread health message and information effectively up to the public community.
• Innovative ideas of art especially articles, Radio and Television program, Interaction, Drama, Film, songs with message, dance, fine art, sculpture etc will be encouraged for raising health awareness. Other sectors will also be encouraged for conducting similar types of activities.
• Interpersonal communication program will be promoted upto the doorsteps of the people through community groups, local organizations, schools, FCHVs, students, teachers, religious leaders, media, health workers and influential persons.
• Health message or information will be provided to mass communication media in proportionate manner.
• Health message or information dissemination management fund will be established to disseminate health message or information.
• Health message or information will be produced following scientific communication process.
• Health communication technical committee will be formed to recommend health messages and materials for dissemination.
• Health communication media, media personnel and health personnel will be encouraged through honor, award for message dissemination.
• Necessary mechanism will be developed for encouraging public private partnership for health message dissemination.
• Unauthorized dissemination that are adverse or harmful to health will be banned, controlled and regulated.
• Arrangement will be made to inform about public right to health information and services
• NCD risk factors control strategic plan will be formulated and implemented.
  Human, physical and technical capacity will be developed on health communication.
• Multi media and methods of health communication will be used for health message dissemination.
• Health messages will be socially inclusive, linked to services and developed in locally understandable language.
• Updated communication technology will be used for health message dissemination.
• Academic institution will be mobilized for professional development in health communication.
• High level policy directive committee will be formed for monitoring and evaluation of the health communication policies and programs.

Major Activities

National Health Education, Information and Communication Centre mainly conducts health promotion, education and health communication activities at all levels as following:

Central Level

• Support development of policy and strategy health promotion, education and health communication program
• Implement National Health Communication Policy 2012
• Development of program and budget for central, region, district and community.
• Development of Program guideline and directives
• Development, production and airing of messages through Radio, Television & FM
• Development and publication of health messages through Newspapers
• Development, production, dissemination and distribution of IEC/BCC materials
• Program orientation to regional & district level program manager & focal person
• Advocacy -Global Hand Washing Day, World Health Day and World No Tobacco Day Celebration
• Coordination – conduct Technical Committees meetings
• Capacity building on health promotion, education and health communication
• Conduct health promotion, education and health communication researches
  Supervision, Monitoring and evaluation of health promotion, education & health communication program
• Conduct Non-communicable disease (NCD) & its risk factors control program
• Conduction of environmental health, hygiene and sanitation program
• Press meet and health news collection, distribution and dissemination
• Knowledge management particularly Health Library and its management.

Regional Level

• Regional mass media activities
• Supervision and Monitoring of IEC/BCC activities
• Sensitization program for prevention and control of epidemics
• Distribution of IEC materials through Regional medical stores

District Level

• Strengthen district IEC corner by supporting electronic equipment
• Sensitization program for prevention and control of epidemics
• Production of need based IEC materials
• Distribution of IEC materials in health facilities
• Production & airing of health radio programs & messages through local FM radio
• Production and airing of family planning messages through local FM radio
• Exhibition to promote health services & programs
• Publication of health messages in print media
• Community interaction program for health service promotion
• Establishment and management of IEC corner in each health facilities
• IEC program on anti-tobacco and non communicable diseases control
• Supervision and Monitoring of IEC activities
• Celebration of Health days
• Report on the achievement on the IEC activities in time.

Information was collected from various documents, websites, reports and government publications. For more info please visit official website of NHEICC.

Contact
National Health Education Information and Communication Centre (NHEICC)
Pachali Bhairab, Teku, Kathmandu, Nepal
Email: nheicc.nepal@gmail.com
Phone:01-4254271

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