Harsha Bangura, Alex
Nirola, Isha
Thapa, Poshan
Citrin, David
Belbase, Bishal
Bogati, Bhawana
B.K., Nirmala
Khadka, Sonu
Kunwar, Lal
Halliday, Scott
Choudhury, Nandini
Schwarz, Ryan
Adhikari, Mukesh
Kalaunee, S. P.
Rising, Sharon
Maru, Duncan
Maru, Sheela
Funding for this research was provided by:
Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health & Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (Global Women's Health Fellowship)
Center for Primary Care at Harvard Medical School (N/A)
Article History
Received: 11 April 2019
Accepted: 2 December 2019
First Online: 17 January 2020
Ethics approval and consent to participate
: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Nepal Health Research Council (133/2014), Dhulikhel Hospital-Kathmandu University Hospital (81/14), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (2015P000058/BWH). Verbal informed consent was obtained by community health nurses for the pre-post cohort questionnaires and for the qualitative focus group discussions. Verbal informed consent was obtained by non-clinical research staff members for the key informant interviews.
: Verbal informed consent was obtained by non-clinical research staff members for key informant interviews and by community health nurses for focus group discussions, during which consent to use de-identified quotes for publication purposes was obtained.
: AHB is employed by a private, non-profit corporation (Lakewood Health System) that de- livers healthcare using funds from fee-for-service medical transactions and private foundation support. IN is a student at a private university (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). PT is a student at a public university (University of New South Wales). DC, BBogati, SKhadka, SH, NC, and SKalaunee are employed by and, DM and SM work in partnership with a nonprofit healthcare company (Nyaya Health Nepal with support from a partner United States-based 501c3 organization <i>Possible</i>) that delivers free healthcare in rural Nepal using funds from the Government of Nepal and other public, philanthropic, and private foundation sources. At the time of program implementation, AHB worked in partnership with and IN, PT, BBelbase, and LK were employed by Nyaya Health Nepal. DC is a faculty member at and both DC and SH are employed part-time by a public university (University of Washington). BBelbase is employed by a non-government organization (Karma Health) that delivers free healthcare in rural Nepal using local municipal and individual philanthropic funds. RS employed at an academic medical center (Brigham and Women’s Hospital) that receives public sector research funding, as well as revenue through private sector fee-for-service medical transactions and private foundation grants. RS employed at an academic medical center (Massachusetts General Hospital) that receives public sector research funding, as well as revenue through private sector fee-for-service medical transactions and private foundation grants. RS is a faculty member at a private university (Harvard Medical School). MA is a graduate student at a private university (Yale School of Public Health). SKalaunee is a student at a private university (Eastern University). SR is a founding member of a non-profit organization (Group Care Global) that supports implementation of group healthcare programming using revenue from consulting and service training fees, and individual donations. SR and SM (joined after conclusion of the study) are voting members on the Group Care Global Board of Directors, a position for which they receive no compensation. NC and SH are employed by, and DC, DM and SM are faculty members at a private university (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai). DM is a non-voting member on the Board of Directors with Nyaya Health Nepal, a position for which he receives no compensation. All authors have read and understood <i>Reproductive Health’s</i> policy on declaration of interests, and declare that we have no competing financial interests. The authors do, however, believe strongly that healthcare is a public good, not a private commodity.