Health indicators

The Himalayan Times

29 March 2012

It was wonderful and encouraging to read the news report “Health indicators up to the mark: Report” (THT, March 27, Page 2) with regard to the improvement of health indicators as claimed by the Nepal Demographic Health Survey (NDSH) report 2011. However, there is still a long way to go to meet the unmet health needs of the common people especially in the rural areas. The government has still numerous things to improve in its working mechanism in order to effectively delivering basic health services to the general public. Its organizational and operational structure of health system is at the top in comparison to the other countries of Asian region. However, the government is very weak in its implementation procedures.

The report reads that the fertility rate in Nepal has declined over the past fifteen years which is really fascinating. There might have been other factors to influence this trend other than the government’s effort. I am not so sure whether such factors were possible to identify. The discrepancy in child bearing rates between the rural areas (2.8) and urban areas (1.6) areas is still somewhat a matter of concern. I am sure the government and the concerned agencies will give due attention towards these issues.

It was interestingly good to know that the Nepali children have been found better nourished than in the past. Thanks to the unknown factor. Also, the infant mortality rate has decreased from 48 to 46 deaths per 1000 live births. Immunization coverage has increased to 87 percent from 83 percent during the last five years. The changes (19 percent in 2006 to 39 percent in 2011) that occurred in using the trained birth attendant is exciting. Likewise, another encouraging event noticed in the survey report was the tremendous increase in the institutional delivery (18 percent in 2006 to 35 percent in 2011). I am sure that the government would definitely use these findings and plan the future program accordingly in order to address the shortcomings in the health delivery system.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj, Kathmandu