New Initiative for Public Health Improvement: Public Health Officers to Be Deployed in Every Municipality from FY 2082/83
Kathmandu – Sunday, June 8, 2025 (Jestha 25, 2082)
In a significant move to improve the public health system of Nepal, the Ministry of Health and Population has announced a new program under which Public Health Officers will be deployed in every rural and urban municipality across the country starting from the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83.
The program, titled “Healthy Me, Healthy Community: Community-Based Health Promotion Program”, has already been incorporated into the national budget for FY 2082/83. Necessary allocations have been made for the salaries of the officers and for program implementation, according to Health and Population Minister Pradeep Paudel.
The initiative aims to strengthen health promotion efforts at the grassroots level by engaging 736 newly appointed public health professionals. These officers will be responsible for implementing health awareness activities directly within communities, promoting disease prevention, and enhancing early identification of new or emerging public health threats.
Minister Paudel stated that the program was introduced in response to increasing public health challenges, particularly the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). “The idea is to create a proactive health system where communities are empowered with knowledge and resources to prevent illnesses rather than only seeking treatment after falling sick,” he said.
Through this initiative, households and local neighborhoods will receive direct support and information on key health issues such as hygiene, nutrition, lifestyle diseases, maternal and child health, and vaccination campaigns. Public Health Officers will coordinate with local governments and health facilities to ensure comprehensive community outreach and service delivery.
This marks a major policy shift toward preventive and promotional healthcare, aiming to reduce the growing strain on curative services and hospitals. The ministry has begun the preparatory process for implementing the program nationwide starting from Shrawan 1, 2082.
Source: Swasthya Khabar
Published by: Swasthya Khabarpatrika
Time: 12:16 PM, Sunday, Jestha 25, 2082