Nepal

Nepal faces major challenges: inadequate infrastructure, limited access to healthcare, and increasingly frequent natural disasters - exacerbated by climate change - place significant strain on rural and remote regions in particular.

Natural disasters and economic setbacks

Nepal’s economy and society have had to cope with repeated setbacks over the past decades. The civil war (1996–2006) severely set the country back in its economic development. In 2015, devastating earthquakes followed, claiming the lives of around 9,000 people. Nepal was also hit hard by the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Another major risk is climate change: Nepal is among the countries most affected worldwide. Melting glaciers in the Himalayas and changing rainfall patterns increase the risk of natural disasters and pose serious challenges, particularly for agricultural food production.

Despite these challenges, there have been positive developments. The overall health status of the population has improved significantly in recent years. At the same time, major disparities between urban and rural areas persist, especially in remote regions where access to basic services and infrastructure is often lacking.

In numbers: The situation in Nepal

Around 20% of the population continue to live in poverty
About one in five children under the age of five is underweight
In Nepal, there is roughly ony physician per 1,000 people (compared to about 4.5 in Germany)
Around one quarter of the adult population is illiterate

From reconstruction to sustainable development cooperation

action medeor has been active in the country since the severe earthquake in Nepal in 2015. The first phase of emergency aid, in which action medeor helped in particular by providing medicines and medical supplies, has developed into long-term projects. Together with the local partner organization ECCA, action medeor is particularly active in remote mountain villages where the infrastructure and supply situation is still weak. The focus of the work here is on improving hygiene and sanitation in schools, accompanied by other measures in the areas of health and nutrition.

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With your donation for the work of action medeor, you help us to give people in countries like Nepal access to healthcare! Support us in building health structures, minimizing the causes of disease and helping people around the world to lead healthy lives!