Collaborations
NFCC has a technical collaboration with the School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham for all work related to cervical cancer and HPV. NFCC is responsible for all ground level implementation related to programs and research whereas University of Alabama at Birmingham provides technical support for protocol development and implementation, research and data management.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), located in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States is a dynamic research university with over 17,500 students including nearly 6,000 graduate students enrolled in 10 schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. UAB ranks among the top universities receiving NIH funding and 10th among public universities. The University has 24 university-wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers and is nationally recognized for its high quality medical center and research training programs in the health sciences. The University serve a multicultural student body with students enrolling from every region of the nation and from over 100 countries worldwide. UAB is a comprehensive urban university with a nationally recognized academic health center. UAB is the largest research institution in Alabama and is the state’s largest employer. UAB is among 51 public and private universities classified by The Carnegie Foundation for both “very high research activity” and “community engagement.”
The UAB School of Public Health is one of the 6 professional schools on campus (dentistry, health professions, nursing, medicine, and optometry) and is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. The school’s mission is to create, disseminate, and apply scientific knowledge to improve public health and well-being in Alabama and beyond by nurturing a diverse community of outstanding scholars. Founded in 1987 the School has grown to over 80 faculty and 500 students with a research portfolio ranked 5th in NIH funding to public schools of public health. The school offer masters and doctoral programs in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Behavior, and Health Care Organization and Policy. In 2014 the School launched its undergraduate major with three tracks (global health, environmental health, and preparedness); more than 150 students are currently enrolled in this major. The School houses two federally endowed centers (Lister Hill Center for Health Policy and the Sparkman Center for Global Health), a CDC-funded Prevention Research Center (Center for the Study of Community Health), and a NIOSH-funded Education and Research Center (Deep South center for Occupational Health and Safety).
The expertise of NFCC in the field of menstrual hygiene management programs is complemented by a technical partnership with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences (BCHS) of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. BCHS department has expertise in academic qualitative and quantitative research in anthropology, social epidemiology, and health promotion with extensive experience in community-based participatory approaches to research.
NGOCC: Non-governmental organization coordination council (NGOCC) was established in 1995 with the objective of facilitating discussion on various reproductive health and family planning program conducted by INGOs/NGOs. It is an informal group of Kathmandu based national NGOs and INGOs working in the area of reproductive health. NGOCC meets regularly to discuss issues of common concerns. The coordination mechanism and the meetings are arranged by the Nepal Fertility Care Center (NFCC) and the meeting is chaired by FPAN’s Director General. USAID/Nepal provided funds for the activity through Nepal Family Health Program (NFHP). NGOCC is a bridge between I/NGOs and the Ministry of Health. A number of meetings have been organized in partnership with the Family Health Division of the Ministry of Health. To ensure sustainability, an endowment fund was established with contributions from all members. The responsibility for NGOCC activities has been officially handed over to FPAN. NFCC continues to be an active member of the said forum.
Cervical Cancer Prevention Advocacy Group: NFCC has in conjunction with individuals and organizations working in the field of cervical cancer established Nepal’s first cervical cancer prevention advocacy group. This group advocates for the implementation of cervical cancer screening and as outlined by the Government in the Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Policy released in 2011 as well as lobby for introduction of HPV vaccination. The secretariat of the group is located on NFCC premises and all coordination is handled by NFCC with support from group members.