As NCDs surge, Nepal’s health budget falls
Summary
Nepal faces a surge in non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer, but its health budget remains under 5%, falling short of WHO recommendations, hindering quality healthcare delivery and prevention programs.
Key Points
- Nepal is experiencing a rapid increase in non-communicable diseases like heart disease, respiratory diseases, and cancer.
- The health budget allocation in Nepal has declined over recent years and remains below WHO's recommended 10%, currently at about 4.77% of the total budget.
- The government’s health expenditure primarily focuses on infrastructure development rather than quality healthcare service delivery and prevention programs for NCDs.
- Financial assistance for NCD patients has increased each year, reflecting the growing burden of such diseases in Nepal.
