Health Needs
The cover story “Serving The Needy” (SPOTLIGHT, December 15) gives a true picture about the situation of health, particularly women health in the remote areas of Nepal . Women of rural regions of Nepal have to continue suffering in silence due to lack of access and resources. They neither have money to go to health institution nor they have easy access to health posts. Hospitals are tens of miles away from villages that lack road access. This story should open eyes of all concerned.
Kiran Guragain
Chabahil
What New Nepal ?
At a time when political leaders of every shade and character are harping about the new Nepal , the cover story “Serving The Needy” (SPOTLIGHT, December 15) showed how the old Nepal looks like. If the leaders are really sincere to transform the face of the nation, they would do well to focus on changing the face of rural Nepal first. Just coining the term new Nepal won’t do. They must redouble their efforts to meet the basic health needs of the people of their country.
Lalit Man Singh
Mangalbazar
Women and Health
Women of Nepal still continue to face all kinds of gender-based discrimination and oppression (“Serving The Needy” SPOTLIGHT, December 15). They face socio-cultural, political, economic and institutional discrimination. Their needs and concerns are not paid attention to. They cannot even eat enough to fill their stomach. Every month, women of far western region are subjected to inhumane treatment in the name of tradition. They are forced to stay outside their home in unhygienic sheds for four days during their monthly period. And they are not given nourishing food. A new mother is similarly tortured as she cannot get enough food due to superstitions. These forms of discrimination have deep roots in our religion and culture. On the other hand, in a household, women are considered less equal as they have to concentrate on non-paying jobs like cooking, taking care of children and so on. In community, women are regarded as second class citizens. They have no say in community development matters. Neither do they have any authority over their own reproductive health. Males generally decide when to have children and how many of them to have. In the cover story, there are many stories about how women were compelled to silently suffer their disease. It is unthinkable that these women could suffer from immense pains for so many years. And they still are not complaining. They were so happy to visit the health camps. It is time for all of us Nepalis to make a common resolve to help one half of our population. Actually, we will not be helping them but fulfilling our duties and honoring their rights. For far too long women have been subjected to inhumane situation. They must be given what they deserve now. Health is one of the most basic of services, which no state can deny its citizens. The pathetic condition of women must draw the attention of our policy makers.
Ghanashyam Bista
Lagankhel
Spread Health Camps
The important contribution of health camps as shown in the cover story “Serving The Needy” (SPOTLIGHT, December 15) proves that they can be very effective tool for helping the rural population. In places where there are no health facilities and where people do not have resources to visit far away health posts, operation of health camps will have immense importance. Such health camps should be held regularly and repeatedly. The government should allocate a certain portion of its health budget on organizing such camps. Money spent on such health camps will be more productive than spending it on other useless projects or programs.
Bidur Gurung
Thasikhel
Pay Attention To Expert Advice
Apropos the opinion of Dr. Ananda Bahadur Thapa (SPOTLIGHT December 15), the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) should pay attention to many useful suggestions. Currently, the NEA has scarcity of electricity and is imposing hours long load shedding. In coming days of dry season, the NEA has promised to impose even more crippling hours of load shedding. As such, expert advice like utilizing the Langtang River potential, which is cost effective and technically feasible, must be heeded by the NEA. Otherwise, as NEA officials have earlier said, Nepalis will have to remain in darkness for many more years. Now that the country has entered into peaceful period, there will be rapid economic development. But the pace of economic development can be inhibited if there is any shortage of energy. Energy is one of the most vital elements and is essential to carry out anything. As such energy is also regarded as a part of national security system by developed nations. They cannot imagine shortage of energy. We, too, must reorient our policies and accord top priority to energy. For us, water resources provide the most convenient source of energy. We must not lose any time in harnessing our source of energy.
Madan Dahal
Kuleshwore
