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Article History

Received: 6 March 2023

Accepted: 3 August 2023

First Online: 22 August 2023

Declarations

:

: The study received ethical approval from Nepal Health Research Council (Reg. no. 656/2019), a national government regulatory body for maintaining technical and ethical standards of health research within the country. The study also received ethical approval from the Ethics Review Committee of WHO, Geneva. During the implementation of the study, we ensured that the study followed standard ethical norms i.e., informing the study participants about the study, taking written informed consent from the participants before data collection, ensuring that the participation was voluntary and without forceful coercion and anonymity of the participants was maintained. A separate information sheet and consent form were developed for the consent process. An information sheet included information about the study, voluntary participation, freedom to refusal and confidentiality issues and duration for the interview and FGD, which were read out to the participants and discussed. Participants were given time to understand the information and an opportunity to ask questions on issues that were not clear to them. A printed copy of the information sheet was provided to each participant. Those participants agreeing to participate, signed or provided a thumb print (those who could not read and write) in the consent form. A printed copy of the information sheet was provided to each participant. All the written consent forms are stored safely in HERD International office.

: All authors have provided consent for publication.

: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.