Infectious Disease Control Guideline

1. Background 1.1 Health in Constitution of Nepal The constitution of Nepal has established health as fundamental right of people. In this regard following rights to health have been recognized.  Every citizen shall have the right to basic health services free of cost and no one shall be deprived of emergency health services.  Every citizen shall have the right to be informed about the treatment of his or her health.  Every citizen shall have the right to equal access to health services.  Every citizen shall have the right to access to clean drinking water and sanitation. Increasing State's investment in public health, ensuring easy and accessible access for all to quality health service, increasing the number of health organizations and personnel, ensuring health insurance for citizens and developing health as a service sector by regulating and managing the investment of private sector in health are the policies related to elementary needs of citizen which are mentioned in the constitution. 1.2 National Health policy-2071 The National Health Policy envisions, "All Nepali citizens to have the physical, mental, social and spiritual health to lead productive and quality lives". The following strategies will be adopted in infectious disease control: a. Along with the addition of necessary immunization services, the current state of management to the communicable diseases will be made up-to-date and implemented as per the action plan. b. There will be a special provision under Infectious Disease Control Act, 2020 so that when there is occurrence of diseases which are prone for epidemics, concerned authorities will be timely informed. c. In order to manage the diseases transmitted from animals and insects to human, a mechanism will be developed for effective coordination and collaboration among the stakeholders. These have been foreseen as major challenges in infectious disease control as per National Health Policy 2071.