18 May, Kathmandu : Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel has said that the reduction in foreign development aid has affected Nepal’s maternal, child, and newborn life saving programme, and urged international donor agencies including the United Nations to ensure the continuity of aid.
Speaking in a round table discussion before the commencement of the 78th assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, the Health Minister stated that cuts in assistance have created challenges. As Nepal has moved forward for its upgrading from a low and middle-income country to a developed country status, major health services could be affected as development aid decreases, the Health Minister’s private secretariat stated the Minister as saying in the discussion.
Minister Paudel mentioned that there is a challenge due to the suspension of important services provided to around 5 million women of reproductive age and nutritional programmes for 1.5 million children under the age of five. He said the reduction in support for reproductive education and services would impact 3.5 million adults.
Presenting statistics showing that Nepal’s maternal mortality rate has decreased by 71 per cent per 100,000 births in 2023 compared to the year 2000, Minister Paudel expressed confidence that with continued improvements, the sustainable development goals related to this sector would be achieved by 2030 in Nepal.
