active · Health
Strengthening Health Resilience in Nepal - HIV, TB and Malaria
Nepal faces significant challenges in combating HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria, despite noteworthy progress and achievement in public health and country’s response to health issues. According to the National Center for AIDS and STD control (NCASC), approximately 30,300 people live with HIV with concentrated prevalence among key populations such as sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and migrants who face higher risks due to unsafe practices and lack of targeted interventions. In 2023, 457 people were infected with HIV, a 91% reduction of annual infection rate compared to statistics in 2000. Whereas TB remains a major concern with an estimated incidence of 69,000, with only 69% of infected persons notified,1 and mortality among HIV negative persons of 17,000 Drug resistant TB (DRTB) is an emerging concern, further complicating prevention and treatment efforts. Nepal has started to implement a TB free initiative which has the potential to change the trajectory of the TB burden in the country. However, the initiative is currently limited to 150 out of 753 local governments. Limited or overburdened human resource capacity has markedly reduced the capacity to coordinate the TB programme implementation at the provincial level, and capacity development needs remain high. Further, the weak maintenance system of equipment including calibration, updating software versions and timely repair of equipment and diagnostics further challenge the disease treatment in Nepal. For the last decade Malaria cases have declined significantly but the disease remains endemic in 25 districts with over 1.2 million people who are at risk due to limited access to healthcare, particularly in remote areas of the country. Socio-economic factors, stigma, and poor health infrastructure all play major roles in timely treatment and access to the services. Further, low awareness, risk behaviours and funding gaps hinder Nepal’s ability to effectively prevent, diagnose, and
Overview
About this project
Nepal faces significant challenges in combating HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria, despite noteworthy progress and achievement in public health and country’s response to health issues. According to the National Center for AIDS and STD control (NCASC), approximately 30,300 people live with HIV with concentrated prevalence among key populations such as sex workers, people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men and migrants who face higher risks due to unsafe practices and lack of targeted interventions. In 2023, 457 people were infected with HIV, a 91% reduction of annual infection rate compared to statistics in 2000. Whereas TB remains a major concern with an estimated incidence of 69,000, with only 69% of infected persons notified,1 and mortality among HIV negative persons of 17,000 Drug resistant TB (DRTB) is an emerging concern, further complicating prevention and treatment efforts. Nepal has started to implement a TB free initiative which has the potential to change the trajectory of the TB burden in the country. However, the initiative is currently limited to 150 out of 753 local governments. Limited or overburdened human resource capacity has markedly reduced the capacity to coordinate the TB programme implementation at the provincial level, and capacity development needs remain high. Further, the weak maintenance system of equipment including calibration, updating software versions and timely repair of equipment and diagnostics further challenge the disease treatment in Nepal. For the last decade Malaria cases have declined significantly but the disease remains endemic in 25 districts with over 1.2 million people who are at risk due to limited access to healthcare, particularly in remote areas of the country. Socio-economic factors, stigma, and poor health infrastructure all play major roles in timely treatment and access to the services. Further, low awareness, risk behaviours and funding gaps hinder Nepal’s ability to effectively prevent, diagnose, and
Progress
0%- Plan
- Implementation
- Outcomes
Alignment