Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is facing a serious funding crisis, threatening the continuity of one of the country’s most important public health data programs. The shortfall has raised concerns among policymakers, health experts, and development partners.
Why the Survey Matters
The NDHS provides critical data on maternal health, child nutrition, fertility rates, family planning, and disease trends. Governments and international agencies rely on this data to design policies, allocate resources, and measure development progress.
Therefore, any disruption could weaken evidence-based decision-making in Nepal’s health sector.
Funding Gap Creates Uncertainty
According to reports, insufficient financial support has delayed preparations and put future survey rounds at risk. Rising operational costs and reduced donor contributions have worsened the situation.
As a result, officials fear gaps in national health data if the survey cannot proceed on schedule.
Without updated survey data, Nepal may struggle to track progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national health targets. Programs related to maternal care, nutrition, and reproductive health could face planning challenges.
Moreover, international donors often depend on NDHS data to justify funding decisions.
Experts Call for Urgent Action
Public health experts stress the need for urgent government intervention. They argue that investing in reliable data collection saves costs in the long run by improving policy accuracy and program efficiency.
Consequently, many have urged the government to increase domestic funding and reduce reliance on external donors.
Officials have acknowledged the funding challenges and said discussions are underway with development partners. However, no concrete funding commitment has been announced yet.
