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The health system in Nepal—An introduction

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine volume 6, pages 1–8 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

We present here a study on the health system in Nepal. Approximately two-thirds of the health problems in Nepal are infectious diseases. Epidemics occur frequently with a high rate of morbidity and mortality and there are occasional outbreaks of infectious diseases of unknown etiology. In addition, the rapid rate of HIV infection in the Indian sub-continent is likely to add a new dimension of opportunistic infections. Until now, the Health System introduced as the General Health Plan in 1956 has been expanded by focusing on primary health care, and a comprehensive network-like Health System has been developed; the most basic unit is a Sub-Health Post or Health Post in each Village Development Committee area. However, the expansion of the Health System has not been matched by an expansion in the domestive resources, workers and supplies, and the available resources are not efficiently distributed. In addition, insufficient resources available for preventive and promotive medicine and the occurrence of non-infectious diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases has been increasing. The Government recently introduced a Health Policy encouraging the private sector to invest in the production of health workers and in providing quality health services. As a result, several private health institutions have been founded and are expected to contribute to the development of the human resources required by Nepal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Nepal Medical College, Jorpati-7, Kathmandu

    Shiba K Rai

  2. Pathology Laboratory, Birendra Police Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

    Ganesh Rai

  3. Department of Human Life Studies, Kobe Yamate College, Kobe

    Ayako Abe

  4. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Human Environmental Sciences, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya

    Yoshimi Ohno

  5. Department of Nutritional Regulation, Faculty of Human Life Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan

    Kazuko Hirai

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  3. Kazuko Hirai
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  4. Ayako Abe
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  5. Yoshimi Ohno
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Rai, S.K., Rai, G., Hirai, K. et al. The health system in Nepal—An introduction. Environ Health Prev Med 6, 1–8 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02897302

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Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine

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