SHO Nepal Corona SUMMARY
A new wave of COVID-19 infections hit Nepal in mid-April, with 45% of COVID-19 RT-PCR tests coming back positive. The health system is under pressure and critical supplies are missing. Lack of communication and misinformation about vaccination prevent especially the most vulnerable people from getting vaccinated. The objective of this project is to provide COVID-19 related emergency medical assistance to public health facilities and to support vaccination. We will do this by raising awareness and improving access to drinking water and sanitation in vaccination centers. We will also support coordination, capacity building, monitoring and evaluation of the national vaccination campaign. The project started on June 1 2021 and will last for 12 months in 3 locations: Bagmati province, Lumbini Province and Province 1. It is funded by the Dutch Giro555 National Campaign to support vaccination against COVID-19. Plan International Nepal partners with 3 local NGOs: HANDS, TWUC and CSDC. After several months of relatively low daily cases in Nepal, COVID-19 began to rapidly spike in mid-April. Nepal found itself among the countries with the highest daily number of cases, over 45% of COVID-19 RT-PCR tests coming back positive and 3 variants of concerns - Alfa, Delta and Kappa. Critical shortages in medical supplies as well as in skilled human resources are reported across the country.  Most of the country was in complete or partial lockdown, which impacts especially the most vulnerable, who are struggling to recover after the dramatic economic and development setbacks they faced as a result of extended lockdowns in 2020.  Vulnerable groups, including women, children, youth, persons with disabilities, those with compounded care burdens, socially excluded groups, indigenous peoples, refugees, displaced persons and migrants, are left with limited or no coping strategies. The Government of Nepal is leading the response to the outbreak in Nepal, including  leading a national COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the country. However, the crisis has given rise to an “infodemic” of misinformation and rumours on COVID-19, including on vaccination. Certain groups continue to face marginalization and discriminatory practices. The medical supplies will support the selected health facilities to tackle current pandemic and save lives. The medical items provided are recommended by the Ministry of Health and Population
The project will raise awareness and inform people about the importance of vaccination and debunk myths related to vaccines. The messaging will be carried out through social media, news portals, radio and television to have a wide reach, but also by Female Community Health volunteers who will go door to door in the different locations, as well as by WASH champions and other youth volunteers during community events to reach the most vulnerable and hard to reach persons. 
In order to avoid transmission in vaccination centres and promote safe vaccination, vaccinations centres will be supported to ensure safety protocols are fully followed and environmental sanitation is maintained. This will be achieved by improving WASH facilities and waste management and providing safe drinking water.
Last to support quality roll out of the national vaccination campaign, the project will support coordination between stakeholders, capacity building of health workers as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning. The project will be implemented in 2 locations where the WASH SDG project is ongoing in Nepal (NPL100403 ). Project will engage the youth volunteers "WASH champions " identified and capacitated under the WASH SDG project for awareness on COVID-19 prevention and vaccination. Additionally, previously created SBCC materials can be distributed by the FCHVs in the proposed project and there will be an alignment in content between SBCC sessions of the WASH SDG project and the mass awareness raising done in the communities. Same implementing partners of the WASH SDG project will be mobilised : CDSC and Hands Nepal, there will be also close coordination and collaboration with the staff and other local partners of the WASH SDG project, as well as in the communication and engagement of the  stakeholders, local authorities, community members, etc. 
There will also be coordination with the other SHO members active in Nepal for this National Action. All girls, boys, women and men living in 16 selected municipalities, as well as the Nepalese population reached by radio, TV, online and/or social media. Focus is on women and youth as beneficiaries and as agents of change.
Staff and beneficiaries of selected health and vaccination centres, as well as national, provincial, district and rural authorities involved in the vaccination  program. 16 health facilities and district hospital will be supported with COVID related emergency medical assistance and PPE Kits
7 static social media posts, 2 GIF’s videos display frame, 1 profile picture frames, celebrity video bytes will be designed and 2 panel discussions on the importance of Vaccination will be organised. 10 more awareness raising message videos from Plan International Nepal’s Champions of Change and Girls out Loud campaigns on young people’s access to vaccination. Animated video with sign language will be developed for TV and social media platforms.  
1 Radio PSA will be developed and disseminated through 3 selected Radio Stations 3 times a day for 10 months with focus on local language
Internet Vaccination awareness raising messages  will be developed and  posted on 3 online portals for four times throughout the project period. 
1 animation video along with sign language will be designed and shown on 2 National Television for 8-9 times during 1 week each. 3 TV talk shows will be organised on national television regarding vaccination focused on children. 
1400 Female Community health Volunteers (FCHVs) and 200 youth volunteers will be recruited /selected, trained on vaccination campaigning and provided with communication materials as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) . FCHVs' will conduct door to door visits in their respective community to raise awareness on vaccination and follow-up while youth volunteers will be engaged in 12 events for youth-led awareness raising on vaccination 
48 Vaccination centres will be supported with environment sanitation and waste management kits as well as with drinking water filters, water filtration unit and chlorine tablets for drinking water 
16 preparatory meetings at rural/municipality level to support roll-out of the national vaccination plan  
23 coordination meetings on the roll -out of the vaccination plan will be organised at national, provincial, district and local level. 
48 monitoring visits of higher officials from district and municipal level will be supported 
38 post vaccination review meetings on vaccination progress and way forward at district and rural/municipal leve
270 health workers and community health workers will be trained on follow up of people to complete the vaccination This is an emergency response project designed to answer to a rapid onset crisis, we are not seeking to sustain project or activities.
However for a long lasting impact, we focus on capacity building of selected community members, broad and various awareness raising initiatives, support existing facilities (health centers) and support local authorities to take leadership and keep ownership on the national repsonse.
Moreover, coordination, collaboration and interconnection with the WASH SDG project will ensure efficient use of resources and follow-up after the project.