'NGOs support key to achieve MDG goals'

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

LALITPUR: Minister for Health and Population, Rajendra Mahato today said that the government needed the support from private sector especially the non-government organisations to achieve Millennium Development Goals.

Speaking at a programme Mahato said, “Government alone could not achieve the MDG goals so support from the non-government organisations is very important.”

He admitted that health was never the priority of the government therefore it never allocated enough budget to the health sector.

“I would like to see the government making health a priority by increasing the health budget from seven per cent to 10 per cent,” he added.

The minister further said that the health ministry had planned to add 150 birthing centres every year in different remote Village Development Committees of the country for safer deliveries.

“We are also planning to revise the 20-year-old health policy that would help address the shortage of human resources in this field," he said. Sashi Shrestha, central committee member of the UCPN-Maoist said the nation should look after mother’s health before taking care of children.

Shrestha, who was former state minister for Health and Population said, “If a mother is healthy, her children would definitely be healthy.” She also urged the government to put conditions on international conventions if it cannot implement all its provisions.

On his part, Nepali Congress central committee member Min Bishokarma said the poor economy of the country has prevented health services from being accessible to all part of the country. He said, “Financial condition should also be improved to maintain health standard.”

Bishokarma urged every Nepali to take the advantages of the health programmes launched both by the government and non-government organisation to achieve success and get better health facilities.

Likewise, other health experts advised to be careful with various diseases and health issues to be healthy.