The World Health Day is being celebrated today with the slogan “Invest in Health, Build a Safer Future” by organizing various programmes.
Chief Specialist at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) Dr. Nirakar Man Shrestha said that the slogan for the year focuses on people’s health and to invest some portion of their earnings for their health. This is important as if there is epidemic in one corner of a country it would affect globally.
Dr. Shrestha said that World Health Organisation (WHO) updated its International Health Regulation 1969 in 2005 and that would be implemented from June 2007. “The regulation focuses on reporting of the outbreak, providing treatment along with responsibilities of the state and how to be safe during the time of outbreak,” he added.
Dr. Shrestha said that Nepal had not been able to meet the international standard in providing health care services as well as having adequate number of doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners.
There are only 1,000 doctors registered with Nepal Medical Council and there are non-registered, including foreign, doctors working in the private hospitals.
Dr. Shrestha said that the country should first focus on safe drinking water, primary health care and sanitation. He said that if the country could provide safe drinking water, there would be 80 per cent of reduction in communicable disease.
Director General of WHO Dr. Margaret Chan, in her message on the World Health Day, said that the threats to health security were many and varied. She said that given the growing complexity of these health and security challenges and the response required, these issues concern not only government, but also international organisations, civil society and the business community.
In his message on the occasion, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that it is our responsibility to first build a society free of disease in the greater goal of building a new Nepal.
Prime Minister Koirala, who is also looking after the Health and Population portfolio, said: “Today we are embarking on building a new, prosperous and peaceful Nepal. No one should forget that healthy citizens alone are the means for that big responsibility.”
He has said since it is the inherent right of every citizen to become healthy and to get the proper opportunity of medication, the Government should include this in the first priority of its action plan and work with commitment for providing accessible and affordable health services to the general public.
Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population, Koirala has stressed the need for the Government to be always sensitive regarding the health of the people by keeping in mind several factors like nutritious food, clean drinking water, healthy environment, proper housing and timely diagnosis.