Nepal
is a small landlocked country of 29 million people. It remained isolated
until the middle of the twentieth century and still remains behind the rest
of the world in basic parameters of development including health care.
Nepal has one of the worst physician to population ratios in the world,
dismal health indicators like life expectancy, infant mortality rates and
the wide prevalence of infectious diseases with very poor medical
infrastructure in the country. The scourge of other diseases like pulmonary
and cardiovascular diseases and cancer is ever increasing.
For detailed information on health conditions in Nepal, please see the following links:
Nepal Ministry of Health & Population
UNICEF
World Health Organization
For a recent summary of health
conditions in Nepal, please see "Impact
of long-term political conflict on population health in Nepal" by
Sonal Singh in the December 7, 2004, issue of the
Canadian Medical Association Journal.