WHO recognizes Dhulikhel town as Nepal's healthiest city

KAVRE, Jan 18: Dhulikhel, a tourist town in Kavrepalanchok, has been recognized as Nepal's first healthy city.

As part of the recognition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has awarded the town a cash prize of five thousand US dollars and a certificate. WHO's Nepal Resident Representative, Rajesh Pandav, recognized Dhulikhel as Nepal's first healthy city in the presence of Bikash Devkota, Director General of the Department of Health Services, Teku.

Dhulikhel Mayor Ashok Kumar Byanju expressed his happiness over Dhulikhel being named Nepal’s first healthy city, calling it a source of pride not only for Kavrepalanchok but also for Nepal. He said, “Out of the 17 indicators of the Millennium Development Goals, the city has already met four goals that are education, health, poverty alleviation, and safe drinking water. We have also learned a valuable lesson that the development of a healthy city requires more than just infrastructure; it requires attention to global standards and the everyday concerns of citizens.”

Mayor Byanju said that WHO has effectively monitored and evaluated the health services provided by the city for two consecutive years and awarded it a score of 62.48 points, designating it as the second-tier healthiest city in Southeast Asia.

The city has fulfilled WHO’s criteria by implementing policy reforms in the health sector, aligning with sustainable development goals, improving the environment, ensuring access to healthcare for impoverished citizens, and providing regular treatment for chronic and infectious diseases. The city has also made progress in community health and primary healthcare through local government efforts.

In addition, Byanju highlighted the city’s work on urban health governance, addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, senior citizen health, and the health of Dalit and poor communities. The city is also advancing sustainable development in healthcare. Dhulikhel is working to create digital health records in areas like disability, clean drinking water, environmental impact reduction, immunization, and community health.

Having met the organization’s criteria, Dhulikhel has not only succeeded in receiving the $5,000 award but has also become the second healthiest city in Asia. Pune, India, is the healthiest city in Asia.

Dhulikhel is currently part of the 'Healthy City' campaign. The city has made significant strides in the health sector by meeting four of the 17 goals under the Millennium Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—education, health, poverty alleviation, and safe drinking water. In the first week of October 2024, the city submitted a report on these four goals to the United Nations in Thailand. It was then announced that Dhulikhel was the first city in South Asia to make the 'voluntary review report' public.

The municipality has established 15 health centers in 12 wards and has ensured that health workers are accessible to all citizens. A survey was conducted to assess citizens' health needs, and 65 types of medicines are provided free of charge at the centers. The municipality is currently prioritizing a ‘Hypertension, Diabetes, and Mental Health’ program through these centers, along with ongoing health camps.

In addition, Dhulikhel was elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization for the 2021-2023 term. The organization, which includes 136 member cities worldwide, elected Dhulikhel to its 17-member executive committee.

Moreover, the news that Dhulikhel Municipality has banned the use of coal within the municipal area became a topic of discussion at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP-26) held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2022. As the city continues to advocate for a coal-free campaign, many countries announced at the conference that they would cease the use of coal.