Mission Nepal
Mortality infant: 61‰
Life expectancy at birth: 61.6
HDI : 0.526; ranked 136/177
Actual GDP/inhabitant ($) : 237
International delegations : MdM United States, MdM Switzerland
Beneficiaries :
directly: 1,150 and 50% of the prostitutes in Syangja district
indirectly: 1,200,000 (population of 4 districts)
Staff : local:25 ; expatriate: 3
Sources of funding : EU, ICCO, MdM
Budget 2005 : 198,980 euros
The coup of 1 February 2005 worsened an already very fragile military and political situation and most aid programmes were suspended because of the uncertainties over the country's future. Today Nepal is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, and no effective development can be considered in such a political context of conflict. In addition, AIDS and tuberculosis are continuing to spread across the whole country.
Fighting tuberculosis and HIV
Western Regions
Activities:
MdM has been working in Nepal since 1995. The programme which began in 2002 aims to prevent and control the spread of tuberculosis and AIDS in four districts in western Nepal: Palpa, Syangja, Gulmi and Argha Kanchi.
During 2005, the work was refocused on the fight against AIDS, and concentrated on the target populations only: intravenous drug users, migrants, prisoners, prostitutes and their clients.
Awareness and information activities have been developed using health educators in the villages, voluntary counselling and testing centres (VCTs), prisons and hotels at the same time, in conjunction with our local partners, Naulo Gumti and Friends of Hope.
Outlook:
In 2006, MdM expects to finalise its HIV prevention project and to explore the remote western areas with a view to running an emergency type project on access to healthcare for the people in the Maoist area, but also to develop a project amongst migrant populations.
July 2006