Kathmandu. Director General of the Department of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Tanka Barakoti, has said that the government of Nepal aims to provide access to quality health services to all.

Speaking at a programme organised by Chaudhary Foundation to release the study report on availability and preparedness of services for maternal and newborn care at maternity centres in Nepal here today, he stressed the need for additional manpower, equipment and infrastructure to extend health services to rural areas. He said the suggestions received from the study would be useful in formulating upcoming policies and plans.

On the occasion, Director of The Family Health Division, Dr Bibek Lal Karna, said that such works carried out under public-private partnership in the health sector would be easier and effective to meet the targets achieved by the government. Chairman of Chaudhary Foundation Nirvana Chaudhary said that they were carrying out various works in the field of education and health and expressed commitment to work more in the coming days to implement the recommendations pointed out by the study in the field of maternal and newborn health.

Dr Khem Pokharel, the lead author of the study, informed about the study methodology, the topics seen during the study and the issues that need to be improved. Nepal has made significant progress in maternal and newborn health. Maternal mortality rate has come down from 239 per 100,000 live births in 2016 to 151 in 2022.

Similarly, the infant mortality rate has come down from 39 per 1,000 in 2001 to 21 in 2022, according to government data.

There are 2,848 maternity centres across Nepal and 2,831 of them are operational. These centers provide antenatal care, general delivery, prenatal care, and basic newborn services. The study report includes 222 maternity centres in 45 districts.