Improving the health situation of those in greatest need is one of the key objectives of the Mountain Trust. Health services in Nepal run through a combination of private and public investment. We work with hospitals, rural health posts, local communities and medical volunteers, to provide targeted healthcare services for those most in need.
Here are some of the latest figures from the UN on Nepal:
Basic Indicators
| Area | Latest figures |
| Under-5 mortality (per 1000) | 40 (142 in 1990) |
| Underweight prevalence in children under 5 (%) | 16.5 [urban]; 30 [rural] |
| Life expectancy (yrs) | 68.4 |
| Population (thousands) | 27474.4 |
| Annual growth rate, 1990-2012 (%) | 1.9 |
| Stunting from poor nutrition | 40.5% |
| Improved drinking water sources (%) | 87.6 |
| Improved sanitation facilities (%) | 35.4 |
| Vaccines financed by government (%) | 44.9 |
| Adult HIV prevalence (%) | 0.3 |
| Public spending on Health (% of GDP) | 1.9 |
There have been some improvements in the lives of many Nepalese over the years, especially in the under 5 mortality rate. In 1990, this was at 142 per 1,000 births, in 2012 it was recorded at 42. There has also been improved drinking water facilities and sanitation facilities, but the majority of investment is focused in the urban areas, and not in the rural areas. The ratio of improved sanitation facilities from urban to rural is 1.5, and only 17.3% of the population lives in the cities.
All rural health posts are funded by the government, and given the large proportion of the population still living in rural areas, for many these health posts are the only access they have to healthcare. Many of the services provided by these health posts are incredibly basic, with resources sometimes being limited to bandages and ibuprofen, as well as non-medically qualified staff. The small percentage of public spending on health (1.9%) demonstrates the essential involvement of non-governmental organisations, like The Mountain Trust, in the supplying and assisting of the healthcare sector.
Our most recent health camp took place in May 2015 in Baguwa, Gorkha district. The area had been badly affected by the April 2015 quake which had destroyed houses, the local school and nearby health post. The camp was operational for 11 hours over the course of two days. MT was responsible for managing the patients as well as providing the doctors and medical supplies. 520 patients were seen with 343 being female and 137 being between 5-18 year of age. The average travelling time was 20 minutes and it had been 37 months on average since the patient’s last medical consultation. In total, the camp cost 373,056 Nepali Rupees (£2632.86) with the average cost of each consultation was 870 Nepali Rupees. For only £6.14 per person, we were able to bring vitally needed treatment to a community without any access to healthcare or medication.
Currently, we are not able to finance a health camp because of our focusing on our Earthquake Reconstruction fund. However, if you would like to fundraise or make a monthly donation to ensure that we can continue providing this essential service to disadvantaged communities, then please click here for more information.
For more information about assisting us in our healthcare projects, check out the Volunteering page.
