July 22, 2011 – KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) plans to propose National Urban Health Policy in the cabinet by mid-August. The ministry has prepared the policy to provide primary health services to urban population with low economic standards.
Dr Bhim Tinkari, director, Primary Health Care Revitalisation Division under the ministry, said the move is in accordance with the Interim Constitution- 2007, which declared health as a fundamental right and that every citizen should have access to free basic health care as provisioned by the state.
We have completed meeting with various line ministries regarding the policy and are proposing the policy within one month, said Tinkari. He said the ministry is implementing the policy in coordination with the Ministry of Local Development.
“The policy will help resolve basic health problems in municipalities through effective implementation of the municipal health programme. It will ensure appropriate urban health care delivery system,” said Tinkari .
He added the facilities provided by the government in urban areas are not satisfactory.
It is estimated that about 25.2 per cent of the total urban population in Nepal are poor and the figure will reach 15 million by 2035, according to the research of UN-Habitat.
Tinkari further said the policy especially targets the poor living in slum areas. At present, the Health Ministry is providing free services with regard to leprosy, tuberculosis, polio vaccination, malaria etc. He added that the strategy follows the underlying principles of universal coverage, community participation and primary health care and that the policy is closely related to national and Millennium Development Goals in terms of health.
“Rapid urbanisation in towns and cities of Nepal is due to influx of large number of labourers, internally displaced people and those seeking better opportunities, leading to overcrowded and unregulated settlements,” said Tinkari.
Tinkari said the government is providing primary health care facilities to urban population. As per free health care policy, 40 drugs in district hospitals, 35 in primary health care centres and 25 at sub health post are provided free of cost.
