Overview of health situation in Nepal
According to WHO statistics, Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world. For centuries, this small country has been a buffer zone between 'superpowers' India and China.
Nepali life is influenced by its location in the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. According to UN estimates, approximately 26.3 million Nepalese live on 145,000 sq. km. of land--about 165 inhabitants per sq. km. A large part of the country is inhabitable, making a few areas, such as the Kathmandu Valley and the Terai plains along the Indian border densely populated.
Development is snail-paced because of the topography and geographical situation of the country. Modern transportation is very difficult to develop in this mountainous country. Most regions are so remote that they are only accessible by foot, making schools and health facilities extremely difficult for the people in these remote areas.
The national health system caters to only 15% of the total population, due to the difficult geographic and economic situation of Nepal. Approximately 1500 doctors, 100 clinics and 800 health posts serve a population of 26.3 million.
Medical treatment is very expensive and whatever facility is available is too far and impractical for most Nepalese. In remote areas the superstitious beliefs of the people and their abject poverty and ignorance about modern medicine forces people to depend upon the local witch doctors. This makes even harmless diseases lethal.
Malnutrition among children is widespread, hygienic conditions are appalling and public knowledge on health and sanitation are virtually non-existent. This background of poor health conditions, inadequate health infrastructure, ineffective health policy and poor budgetary allocation and its disbursement are costing the Nepalese their very lives.
In addition to that, the strained national health institutions cannot cope with the heavy population growth of 2.1% annually. In 1996, state health expenses amounted to 28 Rupees (ca. 0.40 US$) per capita.
Though there has been an increase in private clinics, ordinary Nepalis cannot afford them and the Nepal government has not been able to provide affordable health facilities for the majority poor. In such a situation, initiatives like that of CFC has an important role to play.
Kathmandu, the capital city, has outgrown its existing basic infrastructure. Today approximately 3 million people live in the Kathmandu Valley and the number is rising daily because much of the nation's economic activities take place in this region. Human settlement in Kathmandu is unplanned and out of control. Essential infrastructure such as sewage system, water supply, schools, and hospitals are available in few scattered places only. Increased vehicular traffic, smoke belching industries and polluted rivers and a very poor water supply system have made Kathmandu Valley a health hazard.
You can find more information on economic, social and historical aspects of this country on the web, e.g. the Report to the United Nations 1991, the country overview of the Library of Congress and the reports of the World Bank (mostly in English).
