Family Welfare Division launches safe delivery app in collaboration with UNFPA and Maternity Foundation in Nepal.

Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and

Population in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and

Maternity Foundation (MF) launched a Nepali version of the widely used digital health

tool, the Safe Delivery App - a mobile application that supports midwives and other

healthcare professionals in ensuring safer births for women and newborns in low-

resource settings.   

The Safe Delivery App is an evidence-based learning and training tool designed to

support midwives, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to assist during births

and to manage the most common complications. Among other features, it contains

the latest clinical guidelines, animated instruction videos, descriptions of practical

procedures, and action cards. It is free and once downloaded on a smartphone or a

tablet, it works offline, making it possible to be used even in the most remote areas. 

 To date, more than 435,000 healthcare professionals across more than 70 countries

have been reached through the Safe Delivery App and the accompanying

programme worldwide, with Nepal being the latest country to introduce the App.  

Speaking at the launch of the Nepali version of the Safe Delivery App in

Kathmandu, Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, Director, Family Welfare Division, Department of

Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population stated the Safe Delivery App

complements and enhances the ongoing capacity building efforts by providing up-to-

date lifesaving procedures and practical guidance in local language. Its aim is to

improve the quality of emergency obstetric and newborn care and the main users will

be our frontline health workers especially nurses and midwives. We will work with

provincial governments and development partners to quickly rollout the App

throughout Nepal.

The maternal mortality rate in Nepal has been reduced significantly over the past 20

years. However, the current maternal mortality ratio of 151 is more than double the

SDG global target of 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030.

Speaking about this, Won Young Hong, Representative of UNFPA in Nepal stated

“Globally every 2 minutes a woman dies, while in Nepal 2 women die every day due

to pregnancy related complications - most of which are completely preventable.

These are staggering numbers. This is why UNFPA is pleased to work with the

Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Population and Maternity Foundation

to localize this digital application so healthcare workers across Nepal can learn on

the go and provide quality maternal healthcare to all mothers and newborns”.

“I’m pleased to announce the launch of the Nepali version of the Safe Delivery App in

collaboration with our valued partners, the government of Nepal and UNFPA. We

have been scaling up the Safe Delivery App and the accompanying programme

across the world, and I’m beyond happy that we’ll now also be supporting midwives

and other healthcare professionals in Nepal in ensuring safer births for women and

babies,” says Anna Frellsen, CEO of Maternity Foundation.  

The Nepali version of the App, which contains thirteen modules, has been developed

in collaboration with UNFPA and Family Welfare Division, Department of Health

Services, Ministry of Health and Population and other partners.

In addition to the new Nepali version, the digital tool is also available in five global

versions based on WHO guidelines (English, French, Arabic, Spanish and

Portuguese) and more than 30 language versions, adapted to national contexts and

needs.