March 4, 2011
 Japan's Assistance for Enhancing the Quality of Prenatal Care in Siddhartha Children and Women Hospital in Butawal
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Mr. Fujiwara, Charge d' Affiars a.i. of Japan and Ms. Kobayashi exchanging the contract
The Government of Japan has decided to extend financial assistance of USD938,298 (Nine Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Eight US Dollars); equivalent to approximately NRs67,867,094 (Sixty-Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand and Ninety-Four Nepalese Rupees) to AMDA Multisectoral and Integrated Development Services (AMDA-MINDS) under the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects Scheme of the Government of Japan in Japan�fs FY 2010. AMDA-MINDS will implement the Project to enhance the quality of prenatal care in Siddhartha Children and Women Hospital in coordination with Butwal Municipality, and Butwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A grant contract to this effect was signed and exchanged today between Mr. Tadashi Fujiwara, Charge d�f Affaires a.i. of Japan to Nepal and Ms. Maiko KOBAYASHI, Project Manager, in charge of the Nepal office of AMDA- MINDS Japan.
Under the project, the Grant will be utilized exclusively for the construction of a two- story, 46 rooms - with 36 beds - hospital building, the installment of medical equipment, a workshop for the hospital management committee, the training of medical staff and project operating costs. These will all enhance the quality of prenatal care at Siddhartha Children and Women Hospital at Butwal Municipality in Rupandhehi.
The Hospital was established with financial contribution from the Japanese people and NGO project subsidies from the Japanese Government in 1998. This is the only hospital outside of the Kathmandu Valley providing medical services specifically for women and children and with such high medical techniques and full equipment.
According to Nepal Government strategy, which promotes delivery at medical institutions, the number of births in hospitals is increasing nowadays; greatly helping to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate. However, adequate infrastructure has not yet been established to meet the needs and expectations of both the government and people. The Government of Japan, therefore, has decided to extend this grant. It is a fact that there is dire need for quality medical services as well as a need to improve the facilities of maternal care for people from underprivileged and poor communities. The project is expecting to narrow the gap through expanding quality deliver services in the Tera; providing emergency services and highly subsidized rates for treatment and medical services to poor and deprived people. Butwal Municipality and the Butwal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) have made a commitment to contribute five percent of the total amount of the construction cost.
During the signing ceremony, Mr. Tadashi Fujiwara expressed his hope that AMDA Siddhartha Mother and Children Hospital will address the inadequacies in the maternal health services in the region. Thus, the project will be instrumental in improving the health condition of Nepalese people living in the area. He also expressed his belief that the Hospital will play a vital role in strengthening the friendly relations between the two nations.
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