MS BABITA ADHIKARI
Falls Church,VA
Summary
Public Health and nutrition professionals closely work with the government system to develop and implement policies, programs, advocacy and research in maternal, child health, and nutrition. Expertise in designing, drafting capacity building materials; excellent communication, coordination and facilitation skills; ability to collaborate with various stakeholders, CSOs and organizations to achieve project objectives
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Research Assistance
HERD International
Nepal
06.2014
- Coordinated with the village Development committee, Health post, CAC, and Social Mobilizer
- Conducted IDI, KII with social workers/leaders, Teachers, Model Farmers, and health professionals, Politicians, and other stakeholder & line agencies
- Conducted Focus Group Discussions at various VDC
- Support and Prepare field reports.
Consultant
Helen Keller International
Lalitpur, Nepal
07.2023 - Current
- Design and develop the training curriculum for food inspectors to implement the commercially produced complementary food standards (CPCF) for Government of Nepal
- Cascade the training on national draft of commercially produced complementary food standards (CPCF) for the Government of Nepal.
Volunteer
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Sikshya Campus
Kathmandu, Nepal
06.2020 - Current
- Conducting research initiatives and grant proposal development
- Data Collection and analysis
- Collaboration and networking with institutions
- Ethical compliances and reporting
- Design and develop the training curriculum for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Menstrual Hygiene and WASH for adolescent and teachers
- Successfully conducted the 4 batches of training on Bal uddar secondary school and Chamunda secondary school.
Sr. Project Officer
Helen Keller International
Lalitpur, Nepal
04.2019 - 06.2023
- Provided support for the implementation of the monitoring system for the 'Substitutes for Breast Milk (Sale, Distribution, and Control) Act 2049' to the government of Nepal, including the design and development of a comprehensive implementation plan for system enhancement
- Technical support to the Nepal government team to draft and design a Substitute for the Breast Milk(Sale, Distribution, and Control) Act 2049, Inspector training manual
- Designed, developed, and led the TV PSAs about the National legislation to support the code monitoring
- Technical support to prepare a national draft of Commercially produced complementary food standards (CPCF) for the Government of Nepal and Support government to review, draft, and execution of Food- based recommendation and prepare the Food composition table (FCT) for operational research (OR)
- Oversee the curriculum designing for the Breast milk substitute Act inspectors for government of Nepal
- Contribute to developing an annual work plan and budget for the country office
- Coordination with the government and major stakeholders to formulate a national strategy on the Breast milk Substitute Act 2049 and formulating food-based recommendations for underage two children; with Assessment and Research on Child Feeding (ARCH)
- Oversee the assessment of infant feeding practices and the development of country implementation plans; Liaise with governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other partners for project progress; Conducted the Food based recommendation study and DHS cognitive study for the DHS support; Support Country Director by providing technical oversight to the project; Successfully prepared the project reports to the Regional and Country office; Worked as a team Member with the country team to ensure the technical quality of the project and milestones are achieved at the country levels.
Project Officer
Helen Keller International
Lalitpur, Nepal
01.2016 - 04.2019
- Liaise with governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other partners for project progress
- Coordination with the government and major stakeholders to formulate a national strategy on breast milk Substitute Act
- Support country director and senior project manager by providing technical oversight of the project
- Designed and prepared the narrative reports for the regional and country office
- Worked effectively as team member with the country team to ensure the technical quality of the project and milestones are achieved at the country levels
- Coordination with the government and major stakeholders to formulate a national strategy on Breast Milk Substitute Act
- On-site Coaching and monitoring the hospital practices on lactation management
- Designed and developed IEC materials on BMS/ lactation management in hospitals
- Monitor and supervise study team, interns, and program activities.
Project Consultant
Helen Keller International
Kathmandu, Nepal
11.2014 - 12.2015
- Worked as Program Project consultant focusing on 10 hospitals with promoting protect breastfeeding
- Coordinate with Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Act orientation
- Coordinated and managed lactation management training involving more than 1700 nurses from government and non-government hospitals across the country
- Coordinate with the line agencies, communities, project beneficiaries, local private sector service agents, and other stakeholders at the project level for effective delivery of project activities
- Prepare weekly & monthly plans for the effective execution of the project activities as stipulated
- Regular monitoring and review of field activities to ensure that activities are in line with expected outputs
- Managed and oversee the hospital breastfeeding action committee in 10 big hospital Kathmandu valley.
Research Assistance
Splash Nepal
Nepal
10.2014 - 11.2014
- Conducted a qualitative baseline Survey for Government schools
- Assess the water quality, hygiene, and sanitation in those sampling govt schools
- Coordination with the School management team and Community leaders
- Support and prepared Report.
Research Assistance
Marie Stopes International
Nepal
06.2014 - 07.2014
- Oversee the quality of services given by different MSI service centers
- Conducted a Qualitative survey and executed client exit interviews in different centers
- Assess the practices of service centers
- Monitored Marie Stopes International service centers in different places
- Support and Prepare field reports.
Research Assistance
Helen Keller International
Nepal
12.2013 - 02.2014
- Managed Health System Study among high-delivery rated Hospitals in Kathmandu valley
- Coordinated with Hospital Management, Health professionals, Government project beneficiaries, and other stakeholders and line agencies
- Performed as a site manager for the study, managed the enumerator, and checked the data quality
- Support and prepare Field reports.
Volunteer
Samudayak Sarathi Nepal
Nepal
07.2012 - 11.2013
- Worked as a team leader
- Collected data among the migrant laborers
- Coordinated with the Labor union Ministries and other government agencies
- Support and prepare field report.
Education
Master’s in Health Education, Health promotion, Health education psychology, Applied research -
Tribhuvan University
11.2024
Bachelor’s in Health Education, Foundation of Education, Health, Educational Psychology -
Tribhuvan University
01.2016
Master’s in Rural Development, Sustainable Development, NRM -
Tribhuvan University (CDRD)
01.2013
Bachelor of Arts and Humanities, in Food and Nutrition -
Tribhuvan University
01.2008
Skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Accomplishments
- Successfully completed public health and nutrition programs in Nepal with 10 years of progressive experience on policies, programs, and research; Possessing comprehensive technical and programmatic expertise in maternal, child health, and nutrition programs.
- Collaborated with the national government to formulate and enact policies, implement programs; and facilitate the adoption of multi-sectoral approaches aimed at enhancing the nutritional wellbeing of women and children’s nutrition.
- Drafted of commercially produced complementary food standards (CPCF) for the Government of Nepal, approved from the Council of the minister’s and published in Nepal Gazette.
- Supported government to drafting of the amendment of the Breast Milk Substitutes BMS (Sale, Distribution, and) Act 2049, and designed the BMS inspector training manual for the Government of Nepal.
- Successfully coordinate and managed Breast Milk Substitute Act (1992) inspector training in seven provinces to establishment the BMS monitoring system in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Nepal.
- Coordinated, and supported the draft of the amendment of the substitute for the Breast Milk Substitute (Sale, Distribution, and Control) Act 2049 to have a smooth and timely monitoring system establishment.
- Effectively facilitated the awareness campaign for the Breast Milk Substitute Act of 2049 across various platforms, disseminating crucial information to healthcare professionals, the general public, and manufacturers.
- Successfully led the design led the TV PSAs about the national legislation support the code monitoring and complementary food for young children.
- Developed and designed a project brief for use in communications with stakeholders, partners and donors.
- Effectively generated high quality project reports for donners, maintaining records, policy briefs and process documents to enhance project visibility.
- Efficiently contributed to program design, implementation, documentation, monitoring, and evaluation and reporting.
- Successfully lead and oversaw the Lactation Management Training to the health professional in public and private hospitals in Kathmandu valley and all the provincial level.
- Skillfully coordinate and communication with governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, concerned CSOs, partners for project implementation.
- Contributed to the nutrition efforts in a post-earthquake emergency in Nepal, in collaboration with UNICEF and the government of Nepal.
- Effectively developed and designed research tools, government guidelines and capacity-building training material in public health, nutrition and education.
- Successfully design and develop the training curriculum for sexual and reproductive health, Menstrual Hygiene and WASH for adolescent and teachers
- Excellent coordination, communication, and facilitation skills
- Fluent in written and spoken Nepali, English and Hindi
- IT skills include MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Awards
Awarded with a fund from the University Grand Commission (UGC) on the topic of “Environmental Hazard and Women’s Health in Slum Area (A case study of Manohara Slum areaof Bhaktpur District).
Publications
- Peer-reviewed Abstracts
- B. Adhikari. Behavior on nutritious food; an analysis of New Millionaire of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. American Sociological Association Conference, Philadelphia, (2023)
- N. Sharma, A. Upadhyay, B. Adhikari, I. Adhikari, E. Zehner, D. Davis. Use of evidence on post- birth breastfeeding to inform training and performance improvement among health staff in hospitals in Kathmandu. Maternal and Child Nutrition Congress, the UK, (2017).
- A. Pries, N. Sharma, A. Upadhyay, B. Adhikari, E. Zehner, S. Fileteu, E. Ferguson. Snacks and nutrition during the complementary feeding period: a cross-sectional study among children 12-23 months of age in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. International Congress for Nutrition, Buenos Aires Argentina, (2017)
- A. Upadhyay, B. Adhikari, D. Davis, N. Sharma, S.R. Upreti, G.R. Subedi, G. McKenzie, A. Pries, Zehner E (2016). Assessment of promotion of foods consumed by infants and young children in Kathmandu Valley Hospitals: Lactation management among health professionals. Tenth Conference of the Perinatal Society of Nepal, 10, 55 –
- N. Sharma, A. Upadhyay, B. Adhikari, E. Zehner, D. Davis. Evidence- informed lactation management training and performance improvement among nurses in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal" journal of human lactation
- A. Pries, N. Sharma, S. Khadka, B. Adhikari, K. Yuen. Do caregivers understand Demographic and Health Survey infant and young child feeding questions? Cognitive interviewing to improve dietary measurement in Nepal.
- VARIOUS PUBLICATION
- Lactation Management training manual (Adopted by Ministry of health and population) chrome
- Https://km.mohp.gov.np/sites/default/files/2018-07/Lactation%20Management_Manual_English.pdf
- Article about healthy fat HYPERLINK "https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2023/07/1338444?fbclid=IwAR0ZrtfDArFhCyH7bskLBHkgPZya14U8s52ex9OU" https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2023/07/1338444?fbclid=IwAR0ZrtfDArFhCyH7bskLBHkgPZya14U8s52ex9OU
- Need a breastfeeding room in workplace HYPERLINK "https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/137435?fbclid=IwAR0v1z-XjT_aulGp4XCRce6hd3hD4jYpyf-fG5Dp7-MuVdpky2wFsZXtRlo" https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/137435?fbclid=IwAR0v1z-XjT_aulGp4XCRce6hd3hD4jYpyf-fG5Dp7-MuVdpky2wFsZXtRlo
- Govt sets new standards for cereal-based complementary food for infants HYPERLINK "https://english.onlinekhabar.com/standards-complementary-food-infants.html?fbclid=IwAR12waiMCxCNlpi1AsXTMZpYwX5_GDAscR7MqQczJbjiXvfJqkgb7NyAdh0" https://english.onlinekhabar.com/standards-complementary-food-infants.html?fbclid=IwAR12waiMCxCNlpi1AsXTMZpYwX5_GDAscR7MqQczJbjiXvfJqkgb7NyAdh0
- Anna ma adharit purak bal ahhar banuda gunasthar mapdanda palana garnu parne (Quality parameters to be considered while drafting the cereal based complimentary food HYPERLINK "https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2023/02/1266413?fbclid=IwAR13As_Zp9mVht6JKgs6sdsr4xb2fpOouQGvSlNV4mF2UHeKSSTgrnmfTw0" https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2023/02/1266413?fbclid=IwAR13As_Zp9mVht6JKgs6sdsr4xb2fpOouQGvSlNV4mF2UHeKSSTgrnmfTw0
- Bal ahaar ma kritim ghee ko pryog bandej HYPERLINK "https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/134622?fbclid=IwAR1qPhSK1h5H6TcZe-tpfz9GNBOLbAltYz1pn0Qk9EvQxVBUabFt1Z3sGw8" https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/134622?fbclid=IwAR1qPhSK1h5H6TcZe-tpfz9GNBOLbAltYz1pn0Qk9EvQxVBUabFt1Z3sGw8
- Hamra Baal Balika le poustik khanekura khana payeka chan? HYPERLINK "https://lnkd.in/dxr86GWT" "_self" https://lnkd.in/dxr86GWT
- COMPENDIUM OF SKILLED BREASTFEEDING COUNSELLING CASE STUDIES chrome extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.globalbreastfeedingcollective.org/media/1596/file/Compendium%20of%20Skilled%20Breastfeeding%20Counselling%20Case%20Studies.pdf
References
- Anil Neupane, Country Director, Helen Keller International Nepal, aneupane@hki.org, 9851139531
- Erin Smith, Supervisory Health Development officer, USAID, Annandale, VA, hi_erin@hotmail.com, +255755472481
- Indu Adhikari, Public Health consultant, indu594@gmail.com, 9851017236
- Dale Davis, Freelancer, CD Australia, Sydney, davisdolly108@gmail.com, 9851076682
Training
- Opti food orientation, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 11/01/2019, 11/01/2019
- Project Management, Helen Keller International, 09/01/2021, 09/01/2021
- Maternal Micronutrient supplementation, Nutrition International, 10/01/2023, 10/01/2023
Timeline
Consultant
Helen Keller International
07.2023 - Current
Volunteer
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Sikshya Campus
06.2020 - Current
Sr. Project Officer
Helen Keller International
04.2019 - 06.2023
Project Officer
Helen Keller International
01.2016 - 04.2019
Project Consultant
Helen Keller International
11.2014 - 12.2015
Research Assistance
Splash Nepal
10.2014 - 11.2014
Research Assistance
HERD International
06.2014
Research Assistance
Marie Stopes International
06.2014 - 07.2014
Research Assistance
Helen Keller International
12.2013 - 02.2014
Volunteer
Samudayak Sarathi Nepal
07.2012 - 11.2013
Master’s in Health Education, Health promotion, Health education psychology, Applied research -
Tribhuvan University
Bachelor’s in Health Education, Foundation of Education, Health, Educational Psychology -
Tribhuvan University
Master’s in Rural Development, Sustainable Development, NRM -
Tribhuvan University (CDRD)
Bachelor of Arts and Humanities, in Food and Nutrition -
Tribhuvan University