Child Health Now campaign launched in Nepal
On 29 June 2012, World Vision International Nepal (WVIN) launched a four-year nationwide Child Health Now Campaign that aims to help reduce child mortality in disadvantaged areas of Nepal, in line with Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4).
Though Nepal has made significant progress and is on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, about two hundred and fifty people, including the Minister for Health and Minister for Women, Children, and Social Welfare, Government of Nepal and major political party leaders met and raised hands to commit themselves to ending disparities in child health related to gender, caste, ethnicity and geographic location. In his concluding remarks the Hon. Rajendra Mahato, Minister for Health and Population and the chief guest said, ‘Though Nepal has made some progress, the Government of Nepal cannot alone achieve the MDG goals so support from non-government organisations is very important, and we would like to see the government making health a priority by increasing the budget in the health sector from 7 to 10%.’ He also said, ‘The health ministry has also planned to add 150 birthing centres every year in different remote villages of the country for safer deliveries.’ The official launch was followed by the presentation of papers by experts and discussions on community maternal and child health, nutritional practices, effective strategies to change behaviour; existing government plans, policies on maternal child health, improvements to reach the most disadvantaged communities; the government health system, practices in maternal and child health and areas of improvement. Before the launch two campaign buses travelled with community delegates comprising local health workers/volunteers from the rural Area Development Programmes (ADP) of WVIN in the east and west of the country and were warmly welcomed in the capital, Kathmandu, by the National Office and urban ADP staff.
Within the Child Health Now campaign, WVIN will work at the national and district levels focusing in Doti and Kailali districts with the intention of improving maternal child health systems and government community maternal child health practices. With improved mobilisation and the influence of significant actors in civil society it hopes to assist communities to lobby for quality health care, and encourage government to meet its responsibilities towards children, mothers, families and disadvantaged communities. It will also encourage government to develop policies and programmes for disadvantaged communities. WVIN will also join hands with local government and NGO partners to address the critical health-related issues in specific communities.
Child health in Nepal has made significant progress, and is on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. In the past 20 years mortality in under fives in Nepal has been reduced from 118 to 54 per 1,000 live births. However, disparities related to gender, caste/ethnicity and geographic location prevail. Infant mortality is highest in the Far Western region, with 65 deaths per 1,000 live births, and lowest in the Eastern region, with 47 deaths per 1,000 live births. (Source: MOHP 2007, NFHP 2010). 63 percent of births in Nepal still take place at home. Institutional deliveries range from a low of 29 percent in the Far Western and Mid Western region to a high of 40 percent in the Eastern region. Only one-third (36 percent) of births take place with the assistance of a skilled birth attendant. (Source:NDHS 2011).
In such a context, Nepal has a long way to go to ensure equitable access to quality health care. The provision of essential health services among people of different genders, castes/ethnicities, geographic locations, or economic status must be a top priority for government and non-government alike.