Indonesia and Nepal Share Knowledge on Maternal and Child Health Regional Partnership Advances MCH Handbook Implementation

From February 3-6, 2026, Indonesia hosted a delegation of 11 health officials from Nepal to share practical experiences on implementing the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Handbook system. The visiting team, representing Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population, provincial health ministries and directorate, and municipalities, engaged in intensive learning sessions in Jakarta and Central Java Province to observe Indonesia's three-decade journey with the MCH Handbook, known locally as Buku Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak (Buku KIA).

The visit is part of Nepal's "Project for Improving Continuum of Care for Mothers and Children through the Utilization of MCH Handbook," which launched in 2025 with support from JICA. The project aims to develop an effective model for providing high-quality continuum of care by introducing the MCH Handbook in Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces..

Indonesia's experience with the MCH Handbook began in 1993 through collaboration with JICA. Over three decades, the Buku KIA has become an integral part of Indonesia's national health system. What distinguishes Indonesia's success is the comprehensive system built to support the handbook's effective use—from national policies and regulations to provincial coordination mechanisms, health facility integration, and community-level engagement through health volunteers.

Nepal has undergone a major shift to a decentralized governance system under federalization, making Indonesia's practical experiences particularly relevant. The four-day program was designed to address Nepal's specific learning needs: understanding legal and institutional frameworks for MCH Handbook institutionalization, observing sustainable operational mechanisms for printing and distribution, learning capacity-building approaches for health workers, and witnessing the handbook in action across different levels of the health system.

On the first day in Jakarta, the delegation received a comprehensive briefing from Indonesia's Ministry of Health, specifically from the Directorate of Family Health Services, on the national framework for MCH Handbook implementation. The following three days in Central Java Province provided hands-on learning opportunities that brought these concepts to life.

Central Java Province, recognized for its integrated approach to MCH Handbook implementation for providing high-quality continuum of care, served as the primary learning site. The delegation observed how provincial, district, and facility levels coordinate to maintain quality and coverage. At Dr. Kariadi Central General Hospital in Semarang, participants saw how doctors, nurses, and midwives use the handbook in hospital settings. In Surakarta and Boyolali districts, the team observed contrasting urban and rural contexts—visiting Puskesmas (community health centers) to see how health workers record and counsel mothers, and Posyandu (community health posts) to witness how volunteer health workers mobilize communities and support mothers in using the handbook effectively.

The exchange highlighted the multi-layered approach that makes Indonesia's MCH Handbook system effective: policy support at the national level, operational management at the provincial level, committed leadership at the district level, skilled implementation at health facilities, and active engagement at the community level. The insights gained from this visit will directly inform Nepal's development of its national MCH Handbook prototype and implementation strategy. Meanwhile, the exchange reinforces Indonesia's growing role as a provider of development cooperation and a model for maternal and child health improvement in the region.