The Constitution of Nepal has ensured a fundamental right as “Health for All” to all the people meaning that every citizen has equal right for health service without any discrimination. No one should be denied of quality health services because of low economic status, caste and accessibility. In addition to this, Nepal is implementing United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (Particularly SDGs-3) and striving to achieve the targets by 2030. The goal basically focuses to make sure that everyone has health coverage and access to safe and effective medicines and vaccines. Nepal has remarkably improved various health sector indicators during the implementation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), now it is right time to abide by the constitutional provisions, implement SDGs as per the roadmap and achieve the targets by the year 2030.

In Nepal, there are various challenges in improving the child health status due to poor quality of care, insufficient health facilities. Likewise, inequity of health services in various parts of the country also contributes to poor health status. Other challenges include weak data management, unavailability of trained human resource, weak procurement and supply system, political interference and weak governance. Likewise, Nepal is also highly vulnerable to disasters like earthquake, floods and landslides that leads to uneven distribution of health services. About one/3rd children, are malnourished mainly caused by poor quality of diet, poor maternal health, socio economic status, poor sanitation and natural hazards.

The children above 5 years have the disease burden due to poor sanitation, indoor air pollution, obesity, physical inactivity, poor diet and illiteracy among parents. It is estimated that about 1 million children are engaged in child labor. Most of these challenges can be mitigated through the sustained improvement on quality of life and access of health services.

It is my great pleasure to be here as a Chairman of Kanti Children’s Hospital Development Committee welcoming the citizens for child health service to their children from all over the country. I express my gratitude to the government and all the employees of Kanti Children’s Hospital for their constant support and working as a team in a friendly environment and for their dedication to provide quality health services. I have to say confidently you all that I will fully contribute my knowledge and skill for the development of the hospital and in favor of the children for providing qualitative health services in the days to come.

Kanti Children’s Hospital is one of the prominent hospitals dedicated to the children in federal level. It was established in 1963 with the support of USSR government with 50 beds as a general hospital. In 1968 USSR government handed over the hospital to Ministry of Health Nepal and the Ministry converted it from Kanti General Hospital to Kanti Children’s Hospital in 1970 as the number of patients increased the number of beds also increased to 375.

The hospital is providing promotive, preventive, specialized and super specialized child health services and referral service from all over the country. The hospital is also running training program in post graduate residency in child health to the doctors, Fellowship on Pediatric Oncology Nursing and Bachelor in Paediatric critical care nursing. Although, the expanded health facilities of the hospital have given service to many patients but the demand of service has been increasing day to day.

The hospital is running in old dilapidated buildings with limitation of beds in general, paying and PICU wards. We are also facing the problem of shortage of health man power is due to their drop out in time to time affecting the regular service of the hospital. Realizing this fact and demand of the patient from all over the country Ministry of Health and Population brought out the concept of converting Kanti Children’s Hospital to a modern well equipped 1,000 bedded Institute of Child Health in the budget and program of Fiscal Year 2077/78. Following the government policy and realizing the national requirement, DPR has been completed and further procedures are being done by the hospital management.

I hope the government of Nepal will prioritize this project as an important project in coming Fiscal Year 2080/81 allocating the budget for the construction of hospital buildings. The external development partners who were working with us previously and even at present are also requested to provide support in this project. I would like to extend best wishes on behalf of Kanti Children’s Hospital Development Committee and Hospital family.