Government Plans for Health Authorities Remain on Paper

Kathmandu. Although the government has repeatedly put forward plans to establish the National Health Accreditation Authority, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Center for Disease Control (CDC), these plans appear to be limited to paper. For the past 6 years, almost every year, the authority, FDA, and CDC have been included in the government's policy and programs and budget, but no practical work has been seen. The Center for Disease Control is considered important for disease surveillance and control, and the National Health Accreditation Authority is important for improving health service quality. Although these topics were mentioned in the government's policy and programs before, they have not been structurally completed. The government's policy and program for the fiscal year 2077/078 included the establishment of the Center for Disease Control for disease prevention and control. It was mentioned that the Food and Drug Administration would be established to measure and regulate the quality of medicines, tools, and equipment, and the National Health Accreditation Authority would be established to measure and certify the quality of health institutions and health services. The government's policy and program for the fiscal year 2082/083 also included the formulation of the Federal Health Service Act for the management of health human resources and quality services, and the Health Service Quality Regulation Act for the regulation of health services. However, the matter of formulating the act is also limited to paper. According to the Ministry of Health, the establishment of the Center for Disease Control will enable coordination of disease surveillance, monitoring, response, planning, research, and control activities across the country through a single structure. Currently, disease surveillance, identification, and monitoring are being carried out by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, National Public Health Laboratory, and others. With the establishment of the CDC, research, surveillance, and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases can be effectively conducted by a single body. According to officials from the Ministry of Health, the National Health Accreditation Authority will function as a body to inspect and certify the quality of hospitals and health institutions. This authority sets quality standards for health institutions, improves patient safety, and ensures uniformity and reliability in health services through regular evaluation and inspection. Co-spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, claims that these structures are a high priority for the ministry. However, this authority is also limited to the government's budget and policy and programs. Former chief of the Child Health and Vaccination Section under the Family Welfare Division of the Department of Health Services, Jhalak Gautam, said that structures like FDA, CDC, and authority are necessary in the current context. He said, 'Such structures reduce duplication within the system. It also ensures the quality of service. With these structures, Nepal will also be in uniformity with international standards.' Gautam said that the formation of structures like FDA, CDC, and authority might have been delayed due to the thinking of ministry staff about their positions and manpower. He also stated that the structures have not been fully formed because health ministers from the past to the present have not been able to lobby despite bringing such policies and programs. The government's policy and program for the fiscal year 2083/084 mention the establishment of the Center for Disease Control for disease surveillance and control and the National Health Accreditation Authority to improve health service quality. Co-spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, claims that these structures are a high priority for the ministry. He said, 'Previously, these issues were included in the plan but were not prioritized. The government's will has changed from before to now. COVID also taught us.' A few days ago, Health Secretary Dr. Prakash Devkota told reporters that the programs to establish CDC, FDA, and the National Health Accreditation Authority are a priority. He said, 'We are currently working within the 100-point agenda after the government was formed. The next step is to address issues that have been raised since the past but have not been addressed despite being important, such as establishing CDC, FDA, and the National Health Accreditation Authority program is a priority.' He asserted that this issue is also included in the policy and program and budget, and effective work will be done in the upcoming fiscal year. He stated that this will mark a policy and managerial leap. The government's policy and program for the fiscal year 2083/084 mention the establishment of the Center for Disease Control for disease surveillance and control and the National Health Accreditation Authority to improve health service quality. The budget statement for the upcoming fiscal year states that the 'National Health Accreditation Authority' will be established to measure, certify, and accredit the quality of health institutions and services.