The World Bank has approved a US$ 129.2 million (approximately 9 billion and 163.02 million rupees) aid for providing access to poor Nepalis to essential heath services.

The Second Heath, Nutrition and Population (HNP) and HIV/AIDS Project approved today will support the Nepal Health Sector Program II, the Government of Nepal's five year program (2010-2015), a statement issued by the Bank said.  The project will build on the World Bank's on-going support to Nepal's health sector since 2004.

The project will support the expansion and strengthening of these services with a focus on better reaching the poor and excluded segments of the society.

Three development partners, the World Bank, the Department for International Development of the UK (DFID) and the Australian aid agency, AusAID, have agreed to pool finances to meet a slice of Nepal's health sector expenditures, according to the World Bank.  Other funding partners will provide technical and financial assistance directly.

"The project will support the government's program to respond to the people's expectations of inclusive and accountable public services," Susan Goldmark, the World Bank Country Director for Nepal, said. "The geographic coverage of essential services will be expanded, and policies aimed at increasing access and utilization by the poor and under-served populations will be more systematically implemented."

The World Bank also noted that Nepal's health sector has seen impressive progress in the past few years.  Infant  mortality declined by 39 percent over the last fifteen years from 79 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1991-94  to 48 deaths in 2001-2005.

"An even more impressive decline was observed in under-five mortality, which declined by 48 percent from 118 to 61 deaths per 1,000 live births over the same period while neonatal and postnatal mortality also decreased by 34 percent and 48 percent, respectively," the statement said.

These declining trends in mortality rates continue as confirmed by a recent survey where both infant and under-five mortality have further declined to 41 and 50 per 1000 live births respectively in 2004-2008.  Similarly, maternal mortality declined significantly from 530 per 100,000 live births in 1996 to 281 in 2006, a trend consistent with the data from the maternal mortality survey in 2009 which showed a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 229. Several of Nepal's immunization and nutrition programs are also performing very well.

However, not all segments of the society equally benefit from the progress.  "Inequality in health outcomes, access and service utilization remains high," says Albertus Voetberg, Lead Health Specialist at the World Bank.  "The poor have the largest unmet demand for family planning, make the lowest use of maternal care, have the lowest vaccination coverage, and are least likely to seek care when ill." nepalnews.com