Located between India and China, Nepal
is approximately the size of Arkansas
(56,827 square miles). However it is
a diverse country in language (over 70),
landscape and home to approximately
30 million people. Nepal also has
one-third of the Himalayas within its boundaries, including eight of the world’s
10 tallest mountains. The republic of Nepal’s health care system is predominately
government funded but suffers from a lack of technology, hospitals and trained
health care professionals. This is particularly true for areas outside of major cities.
There are three main types of health care: folk medicine facilitated by a jhankri
(shaman), Ayurveda and Western Medicine. Key health concerns in Nepal are
maternal healthcare, immunizations, prevention of malaria, encephalitis, and HIV/AIDS.
Posted by Barbara L. Williams,
Eastern Connecticut State University, University Trainer/Instructor
