KATHMANDU, April 7: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government has prioritized improving the quality of health services and making it accessible to all.
In a video message on the occasion of the 75th World Health Day today, he maintained that emphasis has been laid on expanding the primary health services for making the concept of universal access to health accessible to all.
According to the prime minister, the government has given emphasis on the formulation and effective implementation of the policies, strategies and action plans required for fulfilling the goals related to health targets at the national level, the SDGs and various commitments Nepal has made in the international forums.
Radical changes needed to improve health sector: Dahal
The PM further said: "We are consistently effortful towards promotion of a healthy lifestyle, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and response to epidemics."
Noting that Nepal has achieved exemplary progress in the health sector since the past few decades, he said, "There have been improvements in maternal and child health. We have succeeded in eliminating some infectious diseases and the life expectancy of the Nepali people has increased. The progress in the public health sector is directly connected to our social structure. We would be able to implement the slogan 'quality health services for all' and the rights enshrined in the constitution only if we can bring a change in the living standard of the people by attaining prosperity with social justice."
Prime Minister Dahal stated that Nepal has set the goal of a 'healthy Nepal' through the mobilization and management of necessary budget, programme system, structure, equipment and skilled human resources in the health sector.
"Our structures are active in fulfilling this goal. Although several achievements have been made in the health sector, still a lot more needs to be done for increasing the access of the general public to quality health services. It is necessary to strengthen the health system, manage the human resources and promote community health," PM Dahal said.
Stressing on the need to further bolster the coordination and collaboration among all the government ministries and subordinate offices, the organizations concerned and the multi-sectoral bodies, he called upon all to celebrate the World Health Day as an opportunity to address the present and future health challenges while remembering the success achieved in the public health sector.
The World Health Day is celebrated in Nepal with the slogan – Health for All.
