Engaging young people in people’s health movement: a success story of Nepal

Shiva Raj Mishra , Tara Ballav Adhikari: We are young activist. Neither we are satisfied with the health condition that we are living in, nor with persistent poverty, ignorance that has not been ended in most of the villages of country. Nepal has weak health care system where profits making private hospital are proliferating and government run hospitals are undergoing shortage of manpower and leakage of resources. The ten years long bloodiest civil unrest has taken thousands of lives and displaced millions of populations from their homeland. Still political deadlock is undergoing and we-Nepalese are not able to see their constitution. The monarchy had been uprooted, the constitutional assembly was formed through the people’s struggle but again politicians has failed to draft the constitution which vision to ensure right to free health care, decentralization and devolution through federal structures in Nepal. Though the scenario looks pessimistic there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Nepal. The peaceful end of civil war, integration of fighters into army is some of the baggiest achievement that we have made so far. The interim constitution of Nepal (2006) has clearly stated that health is the fundamental human right and health care services is free to people in peripheral health centers in Nepal.

The youth in Nepal represent a quarter of population. There are differences in health status, educational level, employment rate between the youth living in rural and urban areas. Child marriage, teenage pregnancy and child slavery is not peculiar in this population. Nevertheless youth are optimistic about their future in Nepal. They want to change this prospect. They want to act- they want to advocate. The growing political sensitization among youths is the clear indication of their interest in national affairs. Now more than ever youth are circled, there are interest in the issues of equity, justice and social determinants of Health. They are interested to know why people living in Karnali (geographically difficult and remote region of country) has poor health; and that living in town has everything from better health to living. So this growing dissatisfaction with the persistence injustice in the distribution and health and wealth has yet again culminated students, young professionals in a circle-People’s
Health Movement Nepal Students Circle (PHM-NSC).Inspired from historic people’s health movement of the past, this new initiative has been taken from Nepalese students to establish PHM-NSC to foster the ongoing “People’s health movement for health for now” from student’s little and meaningful contributions. It has hearty acknowledged the Peoples Health Charter and envisaged to be guided upon it.

People’s Health movement has not been able to reach youths and young people so far. Neither the country circles nor the PHM at global level has strategy to engage this critical mass. Each country has its own scenario where engaging young people will be the toughest thing. But for sure if we capitalize this critical mass in our struggle for health for all we will definitely benefit. Amidst of challenges, Nepal has succeed a trail of young people’s engagement in people’s health movement. Students’ sensitization and mobilization at grassroots has certainly strengthened peoples’ health movement. Moreover has created cadres of activists who have courage to speak against injustice, inequality, privatization of health care. Now the students has a steering council and action committee for doing different sorts of activities-PHM theater, discussion forum, debate, lectures and campaigning in support of this movement. Now they are coming with Health for All-an online magazine to speakout health equity, justice and socia
l determinants of health. The student mobilization in Nepal could be a lesson for all country circles who are interested in sensitizing their young mass of population.

(Editor’s Note: If you have also done something, which other people could learn and replicate, we are happy to feature your stories. Please contact us at editor@nepalekhabar.com.  Source:http://www.phmovement.org)