Presenting the research results in the meeting of the House of Representatives, Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee today, Prof Dr Shyam Prasad Lohani shared that 17 percent people worldwide are pushed in the cycle of poverty due to the investment made for medical treatment.
He stressed, "Backdrop nations should scale up investment in the health sector along with the infrastructure sectors."
According to him, investment in the health, nutrition and immunization would produce more than 16 times results in future. The meeting was informed that 55 percent citizens have been making personal expenditures on health treatment. Meanwhile, it was also informed that not only the per capita income declined due to the contraction in employment and the adverse impact on education and health but the regular programmes of the health sector
related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) too have been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is said reducing the infant, child and maternal mortality rate as well as the problem of malnutrition, attaining full immunization and increasing the access of all to health have become challenging towards the attainment of the SDGs. Incidences like the low rate of delivery at health facilities and the occurrence of epidemics like cholera have been seen as the existing problems in the health sector.
Prof Dr Lohani said, "The outcome of the investment made in the health sector is good. It's like a rupee spent on helmet saving Rs 13 in terms of protecting the life of the bike rider,"
He shared that the Gorkha Earthquake, the border blockade and COVID-19 pandemic have adversely affected the progress towards accomplishing the health-related SDGs. A study report shared on the occasion showed that 38 percent human resources working in the health sector have been facing problems as
mental stress, depression and insomnia due to the COVID-19 pandemic
