On September 15–16, 2011, in Nepalgunj, Nepal, over 70 participants from governments and nongovernmental organizations in Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the United States joined to hear the results of clinical trials conducted in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan on the application of chlorhexidine to the newborn cord during the first week of life. Results from operational studies in Bangladesh and Nepal were also presented as well as the policy considerations on the use of this intervention. The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal, with support from the United States Agency for International Development, PATH, Saving Newborn Lives/Save the Children, the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP), and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
- Present evidence from recent research relating to the efficacy and programmatic outcomes of using a 4% chlorhexidine product for umbilical cord care from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.
- Assist country policymakers to identify next steps for introduction of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care, as warranted.