PSI

Nepal is rich in culture, but challenged by an unstable political climate, a high incidence of natural disasters and mountainous terrain. Most Nepali people live in remote villages that are difficult to reach and lack public health services. As a result of these challenges, the landlocked country in South Asia faces several major health issues, such access to safe water, adequate nutrition and infectious disease prevention/treatment.

When PSI/Nepal launched in 2002, it focused on HIV/AIDS prevention, child survival and family planning. PSI/Nepal programs have expanded to include:

Malaria prevention and treatment.

• Safe water education.
• Pediatric zinc supplementation.
• Fortified complementary food for young children.

All of PSI’s programs benefit children, but PSI’s efforts in Nepal are especially salient because children under 5 years old account for nearly a quarter of all deaths.1PSI’s efforts are also greatly needed to fill governmental funding gaps – especially in rural areas. One-third of Nepali people live below the national poverty line, yet social security for health care is limited and governmental expenditures for health care are insubstantial.2 As a result, nearly three-fourths of the country’s healthcare needs are funded by private sources.3

1. 1. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.
2. 2. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.
3. 3. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.

Health Areas

Child Survival, Diarrheal Disease, HIV, Malaria, Reproductive Health

Health Impact

PSI/Nepal estimates that in 2010, its products and services helped avert:

• 14,497 Reproductive Health DALYs
• 8,772 Malaria Control DALYs
• 2,176 Child Survival DALYs

Health Interventions

• Multivitamins
• Iron Deficiency and Anemia
• Basic HIV Care and Prevention Package

Improving Health in Nepal

Malaria

Nearly 20 million of Nepal's 28 million people are at risk of developing malaria.1 PSI/Nepal partners with the Government of Nepal to reduce the number of Nepalis at risk by offering prevention and control programs in 13 high-risk districts. Programming goals include:

• Increasing awareness among those at risk of malaria.
• Educating adults and school-age children about the importance of early detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
• Strengthening partnerships among key players such as government, schools, private sector and civil society.
• Partnering with trained private sector providers that have the capacity to quickly detect and effectively treat malaria.
• Distributing more long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets to families in high-risk districts

Safe Water

Less than 40 percent of households in rural areas of Nepal have access to safe household drinking water.2 Urban households have better access, but still only 68 percent of urban households report access to safe drinking water and less than 40 percent have proper toilet facilities in their dwelling.3 Those without clean water and proper sanitation are at higher risk of developing waterborne diseases, such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery and gastroenteritis. Children are especially vulnerable to life-threatening cases. One-third of deaths of Nepali children under age 5 are attributed to waterborne diseases.4

PSI/Nepal works with both parents and school-age children to teach the importance of clean water. PSI empowers parents to ensure the safety of their household water by promoting WaterGuard, a household chlorine water purification solution. And PSI’s school-based safe water and hygiene programs teach children ages 9 to 14 about safe water and encourage them to share their knowledge with family members, friends and neighbors.

Pediatric Zinc

Diarrhea is a major health problem in Nepal – especially for children. It’s the No. 2 cause of death for children under 14, after pneumonia.5 Research suggests that children with acute diarrhea may benefit from taking zinc supplements.6 PSI/Nepal has initiated a public-private partnership to provide low-cost pediatric zinc for children under age 5. PSI/Nepal also promotes oral rehydration therapy to decrease child deaths from diarrheal disease.

Fortified Complementary Food

More than 80 percent of Nepali children between 6 and 12 months old suffer from iron-deficiency anemia and other micronutrient deficiencies. More than half of children under 3 in some rural areas are underweight and more than one-third have stunted growth.7 Some of these children have access to food, but their parents lack resources to provide balanced nutrition. One of the ways PSI/Nepal has worked to help solve this problem is developing a "Champion" line of low-cost, fortified complementary foods with the Government of Nepal and the World Food Programme. Champion-brand foods contain iron, iodine and 10 more essential vitamins and minerals that are essential for early childhood development.

Reproductive Health

In Nepal, it is estimated that nearly one-third of all births are mistimed or unwanted, one-fourth of married women of reproductive age have an unmet need for family planning, and maternal mortality is 281 deaths per 100,000 live births—of which one cause is unsafe abortion. PSI provides the information and tools necessary for couples to space the births of their children, improving the health of the entire family. PSI/Nepal is working in partnership with the government, private sector and civil society to contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality and unwanted pregnancies among women in Nepal by increasing the access and availability of long-term contraceptive methods as well as safe medical abortion.

1. 1. Source: World Health Organization: Malaria Situation in SEAR Countries (2007).
2. 2. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.
3. 3. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.
4. 4. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.
5. 5. Source: World Health Organization: Nepal Country System Profile.
6. 6. Source: “Therapeutic and preventive effects of zinc on serious childhood infectious diseases in developing countries,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1998.
7. 7. Source:“Factors associated with underweight and stunting among children,” Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, April 2009.

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