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Background

The Constitution of Nepal institutionalizes inclusive and participatory democracy with specific civil and human rights, including the right to a clean environment (Article 30) and the right to health as specified in Article 35:

(1) Every citizen shall have the right to free basic health services from the State, and no one

shall be deprived of emergency health services

(2) Every person shall have the right to information about his or her medical treatment.

(3) Every citizen shall have equal access to health services.

(4) Every citizen shall have the right of access to clean drinking water and sanitation.

In Nepal, just a handful of Act has been implemented for the betterment of health services. It is

time that we open our eyes to significant role that UHC can play in improving health outcomes,

promote gender and age equality, economic growth and eventually reduce poverty. Answers to

these issues must be searched within the government where coordination and collaboration

with private health care must be made in order to provide health services in a cost-effective

manner.

In Nepal social heath security programme is implemented in 15 districts out of 75 (2017).

Among those 15 districts only 5% people are covered by health insurance till now whereas, 95%

of them pay for their health care by themselves. Many people forego treatment due to high

expenditure which makes them to avoid treatment or sacrifice other basic necessities such as

food, clothes, education for their children.

There has been increasing demand for healthcare due to high prevalence of disabilities and

morbidity in older age. In middle and low income countries like Nepal with poor social security

system, it often leads older people to finance themselves for healthcare spending. Although

every country has its own strategy to achieve UHC, it requires a step that can be taken forwards

to develop the plan and polices that is more inclusive of older people. Ageing Nepal in 2017

collaborated with several organizations and observed UHC and this year also Ageing Nepal

conducted UHC 2018. Following outcomes were achieved on UHC, 2018 (December 6- 12):

(a) Reinforcement was made to meet the health need of marginalized group particularly older people.

(b) More than 6000 people were made aware on right to health and importance of UHC. (c) Promotion of national mechanisms for collective action and partnership

for Health for All Ages.

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Contents Background .................................................................................................................................................... i

SUMMARY OF CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................... 1

PREPARATION ............................................................................................................................................... 4

SUMMARY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................................. 8

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SUMMARY OF CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

S.

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Activities Objectives Target Outcomes

1) Round table discussion

Location: National

Human Rights

Commission Office

(Pulchowk, Lalitpur)

To pressurize

government for

Availability,

Accessibility and

Affordability of

health services for

older people

National Human

Rights Commission,

Representatives of

Ministry of Health;

Ministry of Women,

Children and Senior

Citizens; old age

homes, media houses

and other

stakeholders

a) National Human Right

Commission got

committed to instruct

Nepal Government to

implement future

policy guided by the

principles of UHC

b) Ministries agreed to

develop future policies

and programme in line

with UHC principles.

2) Awareness Building

Sessions (Two)

Location :

a) Anandapur Women’s

Group Classroom

(Baudha -4 ,

Kathmandu)

b) Bidhya Sagar English

Secondary School

(Gokarneshwor-5,

Kathmandu)

To make aware

local elderly of

Baudha-4 and

Gokarneshwor-5,

Kathmandu, on

their Right to

Health.

Elderly a) 70 elderly were made

aware about arthritis and

health issues faced by

older people

b) Elderly are committed

to aware other older

people with similar health

issues in their local

community.

3) Free Eye Camp for

Elderly

Location: Bidhya Sagar

English Secondary

School (Jorpati,

Kathmandu)

To provide free eye

checkup for elderly

Elderly a) More than 150 elderly

got their eyes

checked.

b) Some basic medicines

were provided free of

cost

c) Elderly with cataract

were referred to the

hospital for surgery

free of cost.

4) Rally

Location : Jorpati,

Kathamndu

To influence local

government

Government a) More than 100 elderly

demanded their Right to

Health with placards and

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slogans

b) More public got

informed about UHC and

they may pressurize local

government to

strengthen policies and

programme for their

health rights.

5) Photo Stunt

Location:

Thulobharyang,

Kathmandu

To influence

general population

directly

General public of all

ages

More than 600 people

were reached with the

message about UHC and

its importance in our daily

lives.

6) Opinion Editorials

Publication (Two)

To make aware

general public on

UHC and elderly

General public of all

ages

80 thousand readers were

reached with the theme

“Health For All” in UHC

day for all ages.

7) Signature Collection

Location:

Swayambhunath,

Kathmandu

a) To collect

signatures in

support of UHC

Day

b) To deliver the

collected

signature to the

concerned

authority of

Ministry of

Health

Ministry of Health a) About 500 signatures

were collected

b) The Signatures is

planned to be

delivered to Ministry

of Health in order to

pressurize the Nepal

Government to

strengthen older

people’s rights to

health.

8) Pamphlets distribution

Location :

Halchowk, Kathmandu

To make aware

general public on

UHC and elderly

General public of all

ages

500 pamphlets were

printed and distributed

throughout the events to

reach out to more

number of people

throughout UHC week.

9) TV Talk Show

Location :

Newbaneshwor,

Kathmandu

To inform general

public on UHC and

the elderly

General public of all

ages

More than 50 thousand

general public were

informed on importance

of UHC and its impact on

health and rights of elder

population.

10) Social Media Used To reach out the

concerned global

community with

Global community People reached with

message through

Facebook Page: >6000

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our effort to

observe UHC day

for people of all

ages

Retweet in twitter: >50

11) Networking with local

organizations

To involve more

organizations in

observing UHC day

Local organizations Ageing Nepal worked with

following organizations in

its network for observing

UHC2018:

a) Anandapur Women’s

Group

b) The Home Hermitage

c) Harmony Homecare

d) Bidhya Sagar School

e) Jorpati Senior Citizens

Society

f) Himalaya Times Daily

g) Tilganga Eye Hospital

h) Sagarmatha Television

Observing UHC 2018

strengthened the working

relationship with these

organizations

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PREPARATION

A) Formation of Campaign Team members

Main campaign team with following members was formed to plan, supervise and monitor

the campaign activities.

a) Mr. Krishna M. Gautam, Team leader

b) Mr. Prakash Gautam, Team member

c) Ms. Sanju T. Magar, Team member

d) Mrs. Pabitra Adhikari, Team member

e) Ms. Prapti Gautam, Team member

f) Ms. Prasamsa Shrestha, Team member

g) Ms. Sushila Shrestha, Team member

B) Banners Designed and Printed

Five banners for different events were designed and printed.

Banner for Eye Camp

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Banner for Awareness Session

Banner for Awareness Session

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Banner for Signature Collection Campaign

Banner for Rally

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C) Pamphlet/Flyer designed and printed

Pamphlets highlighting the theme of Universal Health Coverage Day, “Health for All”

particularly “Health for Elderly” was designed, printed and distributed to the participants and

general public around Kathmandu valley.

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SUMMARY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES

1) Round Table Discussion

National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with Ageing Nepal and Alzheimer’s and Related Dementia Society Nepal organized an event on 7.12.18 to mark the Universal Health Coverage Day 2018 where

1. Report on survey of old age homes and day care centers in Nepal was released 2. A round table discussion on issues related to Accessibility, Affordability

and Availability of health services for older people was conducted

The event was chaired by Hon’ble member of National Human Rights Commission Mr. Prakash Wosti. Around 80 participants including representatives of Ministry of Health; Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens; old age home, concerned organizations participated in the event. Media covered the event and published in national dailies the other day. The event was also covered by major TV stations in their evening news. The discussion covered:

Major findings of the survey

Need for geriatric hospital, doctors and nurses in Nepal

Role of media in building awareness on health care of older people

Role of Ministry of Health to provide quality health services for all ages

Need to standardize old age homes and care homes.

Need to provide health insurance for all ages.

Need to improve the existing Public Health Acts and Regulations

Need to promote integrated health services for older people

Strengthen the health service capacity at all government administrative units, especially

those at the grassroots level

Need to include geriatric medicine and care in health education system

Need to promote palliative, long term and rehabilitative care for older people

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Mr. Krishna Murari Gautam, Chairperson of Ageing Nepal (Left in middle) during round table discussion session

Group photo after the event

2) Awareness Building Session

Two awareness programme were organized:

a) Ageing Nepal team members Ms. Prapti Gautam and Prasamsa Shrestha conducted an

awareness session for older persons on 6th December 2018 at Baudha 6, Kathmandu.

About 30 elderly were made aware on arthritis, its treatment and pain management.

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Ms. Prasamsa Shrestha, Nursing Officer, conducting awareness session

Ms. Prapti Gautam, Public Health Officer demonstrating the management of arthritis through physiotherapy

b) Mrs. Deepa Dewan, Managing Director of The Hope Hermitage Nepal took awareness session

on health issues of older people on 7th December, 2018. Around 30 older people of Jorpati,

Kathmandu participated in the session.

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Major issues discussed in the session were -

1. Alzheimer's and related dementia, care and prevention 2. Care need of older people 3. Health policies for older people in Nepal 4. Universal Health Coverage Day and its importance

During awareness session

Group photo after the event

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3) Free Eye Camp for Elderly

Ageing Nepal in collaboration with Harmony Homecare Nepal and with support from Tilganga

Eye Hospital, Jorpati Senior Citizens Society, Anandapur Women’s Group, Shashwat Nepal &

Bidhya Sagar English Secondary School organized a Free Eye Camp on 9th December 2018.

Some highlights of the camp:

1. More than 150 older people got free eye check up and medicine. 2. There was higher number of older women than older men. 3. Poor, marginalized and older people with disability were prioritized in the camp. 4. Twenty two older people with cataract were referred to hospital for free surgery

Checking eyesight of elderly during the camp

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Doctor checking eyes

Team involved in Free Eye-Camp (sash reading “we support UHC 2018”)

4) Rally

Ageing Nepal in collaboration with Jorpati Senior Citizens Society, Anandapur Women’s Group and Bidhya Sagar English Secondary School organized a street rally under the banner of Universal Health Coverage Day 2018. Older people with placards and slogans demanding their Right to Health took to the streets of Kathmandu.

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1. Around 100 older people participated in the rally 2. There were higher numbers of older women than men. 3. At the end of rally, older people gathered in front of local government office and

shouted slogans demanding right to proper health services.

5) Photo Stunt Ageing Nepal team conducted a photo stunt with banner of "I Support Universal Health Coverage". The photos were widely shared through social media for mass awareness.

Team member of Ageing Nepal

6) Editorials Publication Following publications were made on UHC 2018

a) A blog on "Older Persons and Universal Health Coverage" by Ms. Prasamsa Shrestha, Nursing Officer of Ageing Nepal.

http://ageingnepal.org/older-persons-and-universal-health-coverage/

b) An article on "Partnership for UHC" by Mrs. Pabitra Adhikari, Programme Coordinator of Ageing Nepal, published in vernacular National Daily.

http://ehimalayatimes.com/bichar-sahitya/29059?fbclid=IwAR2kmIaPc8Ot1ohvmmgsqQizbVMnvm5hZFeObMYUPaQJ8Xo2UancRC0snmk

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7) Signature Collection

About 500 signatures were collected in support of UHC day. The collection is planned to be

delivered to Ministry of Health.

Signatures Collected

8) Pamphlets/flyers Distributed

Ageing Nepal team distributed about 500 pamphlets to the participants of each event and to

the general public in different areas of Kathmandu.

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Ms. Pabitra Adhikari, team member of Ageing Nepal distributing pamphlets

Mr. Prapti Gautam, team member of Ageing Nepal distributing pamphlets

9) TV Talk Show

Dr. Ramesh Kadel, Geriatrician gave thirty five minute talk on "The Health Issue of Senior

Citizens" in Sagarmtha Television of Kathmandu district. It is estimated that about 50 thousand

viewers were informed about UHC and the health needs of 60+ aged persons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLgZe_xZDfY

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10) Social Media Used

The campaign activities were shared through the following social media.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/proudtobeold/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgeingNepal