Submit your Article

The kidneys, bean-shaped organs located on each side of our spine, constitute a very important part of our body.

How so?

Healthy kidneys filter a half cup (roughly) of blood per minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine, which flows from the kidneys to the bladder via pair of thin tubes of muscle called ureters, one on each side of the bladder. The kidneys, ureters and the bladder form part of the urinary tract.

Apart from removing wastes and extra fluid from the human body, the kidneys also remove acids that the cells produce and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts and minerals like sodium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium in blood.

What happens to the human body without this delicate balance? Nerves, muscles and other tissues may not work normally.

Aside from these functions, the bean-shaped organs also help control blood pressure, make red blood cells and keep the bones strong and healthy.

The points mentioned above make it clear that keeping the kidneys healthy is of paramount importance.

But data show that the individuals, the society and all three tiers are not giving kidney health the utmost attention it deserves.

Out of the total population of around 30m, three lakh people (approx) in Nepal have renal problems. About 30,000 people experience moderate kidney problems every year, 3,000 have severe kidney failure. About 8,000 people are on dialysis in Nepal whereas the number of people on dialysis in Malaysia (total population: 28m), a popular job destination for Nepali workers, is 45,000.

Though not well off, Nepal provides free dialysis through government hospitals, the first of its kind in Asia, providing Rs 2,500 for each session. This, of course, is not enough for kidney patients with hypertension and diabetes as they have to foot extra cost for non-kidney ailments.

The federal government provides a lump sum of Rs 1 lakh to each kidney patient apart from conducting kidney transplant for free. Local governments provide a monthly allowance of Rs 5,000 to each patient. Yearly, the government spends around Rs 1bn on dialysis. 

Despite these efforts, kidney patients and/or their family members gone broke and appealing for monetary assistance here, there, everywhere for continuation of treatment has ceased to be a new thing.

This, in spite of a Constitution that has recognized the right to health as a fundamental right. This, in a ‘country geared toward socialism’ where the political elites get to fly abroad and avail themselves of the state-of-the-art services in one of the finest medical institutions of the world, all at the taxpayer’s expense?

A question arises: Where are the governments of all three tiers failing?

Instead of focusing on prevention of kidney ailments, the state is focusing on treatment. The state alone is not to blame, though.

Increasing kidney problems should prompt us to look into our food and drinking habits. Are we drinking enough water? Are we taking food that boosts our overall health, including kidney health?

Water requirements also vary depending on the nature of work and climatic conditions. Lakhs of Nepali youths sweat it out in hot climes abroad where drinking water is scarce. This takes a huge toll on their overall health, including renal health. Many of us are taking all sorts of synthetic/alcoholic drinks to quench our thirst.  

This daily, through its extensive reporting, has brought how our public health delivery system is failing the very public. Our conversation with experts has made it crystal clear that the government should focus more on preventing ailments, including kidney ailments, rather than on treatment. The government should provide immunosuppressive drugs to kidney patients for free. Also, the state, together with private and public health service providers, should launch door-to-door campaigns to raise awareness and keep kidney diseases at bay. Here’s hoping that the government on a splurging spree has enough funds—and political will—in its coffers to do that.  

Devotees have thronged Gosaikunda since the early morning today to observe the Janai Purnima festival.

 Over 4,000 people have arrived here to observe the Janai Purnima festival. Gosaikunda, a freshwater lake of profound religious importance, lies at an altitude of 14, 370 feet above the sea level.

Gosaikunda Area Development Committee chair Sanjiv DM said most devotees arrived here by the evening of Wednesday. A few more are on the way to the lake, District Police Chief Subas Budhathoki said.   A fundamental tradition of the festival involves devotees taking a holy dip in the lake, seeking blessings for familial happiness and unity to be bestowed upon them.

The Nepali Army, the Gosaikunda Rural Municipality, Rasuwa District Hospital, District Ayurved Health Centre, and the Himalaya Rescue Association have been here for the services of the devotees, Chief District Officer, Prakash Chandra Adhikari said.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government has accorded top priorities to the accomplishments of social justice, good governance and prosperity goals.

In his message of best wishes on the occasion of the Gaijatra and Janai Purnima (Rakshabandhan) festival today, the Prime Minister said the government is committed to combating corruption, misconduct and mismanagement to pave the way for establishing good governance.

"The government is making efforts to bring a quality change among the lives of citizens," the head of the government said, adding that its focus was on reviving the economy affected by pandemic, global geopolitical crisis and internal limitations for managerial skills.

In the message, he said since ancient times, Nepal has remained a symbol of religious tolerance, social harmony, and unity among various castes, languages, cultures, and civilizations, adding that such diversities were the reasons for its unique identity and self-esteem for the Nepalis.

He expressed his hope that the festival would inspire all the Nepalis to realize the needs for nation building and for promoting family happiness, social goodwill, and unity.

Furthermore, he extended his wishes for joy, peace, prosperity, and sustained progress for all Nepalis within the country and abroad on the occasion of this festival.

The government has said that it would adopt a diplomatic channel to talk about the map issue with China.

China on Aug 28 released the 2023 edition of the standard map of China, which continues to show the entire State of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region with China’s border, provoking India. India has reacted furiously to the map.

In a separate context, China, which shares its border with Nepal, has demonstrated Nepal’s old map. Nepal adopted a new political map in 2020 incorporating the Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. The Chinese move, according to experts, indicates that China is yet to accept Nepal’s new political map. Experts are suggesting the government take up this issue with China diplomatically.

On Wednesday, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma said the government would adopt a diplomatic channel to talk about the map China released recently. During a news conference, Minister Sharma who is also the spokesperson for the government said, "Our official map is pointed at the border and was passed by parliament unanimously. We need to talk through a diplomatic channel in which context China made its map public." 

In 2015, India and China had agreed to expand the border trade at Nathu La, Lipulekh Pass and Shipki La without consultations with Nepal. Later, Nepal’s government strongly reacted to the agreement writing diplomatic notes to both India and China. 

Meanwhile, India has lodged a strong protest through the diplomatic channels with the Chinese side on the new map.

Tourist arrivals in Lumbini have significantly increased in recent years. The data shows the birthplace of Gautam Buddha experienced a surge in the influx of tourists in the post-COVID-19 period.

According to the Lumbini Development Trust, as of July of 2023, the tourist arrivals (except Nepal and India) increased by 500 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.  Likewise, the number of visitors from India was more by 30 percent followed by a similar rise in the arrivals of domestic tourists.

As of July, 2023, a total of 23,942 tourists from third countries had been in Lumbini and this figure was 3,975 during the corresponding period last year, according to LDT public relations chief and information officer Dr Hari Rai.

Lumbini welcomed people from 96 countries in 2022 and till July this year, tourists from 67 visited the historic city.  It is said more Indians are visiting Lumbini following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here in May, 2022.  

Monson-related incidents claimed the lives of 73 people between June 14 and August 25 this year.

The casualties were due to landslides, floods, heavy rains and lightning strikes.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that 102 individuals sustained injuries as a result of these monsoon-triggered disasters while 20 have gone missing.

Authority Executive Chief Anil Pokhrel said the country witnessed 135 cases of flooding, 429 incidents of landslides, 116 occurrences of heavy rainfall, and 83 cases of lightning strikes in this period.

Among the victims, 12 were killed in the flooding, 38 in landslides, two died due to heavy rains and 21 were killed in lightning strikes.

The monsoon has inflicted damages on various hydroelectricity projects, causing a total loss of around Rs 8.5 billion. It is said 17 under-construction projects with a combined capacity of 326.83 megawatts and 13 projects totaling 132.75 megawatts have been affected.

Additionally, the monsoon disasters have caused significant damages to the infrastructure sector. It caused the loss of Rs 400 million when it damaged 29 highways, and the overall loss to physical properties surpasses Rs 15 billion.

Four motorable bridges and 22 suspension bridges were washed away in various parts of the country, causing the loss of around Rs 410 million.

Furthermore, flooding and landslides resulted in the damage of 28 federal drinking water projects, incurring a loss of around Rs 90 million.

It is estimated that it would cost over Rs 10.55 billion to restore the damaged infrastructures.

Janai Purnima also known as the sacred thread festival is being observed across the country on Thursday.

On the occasion, Hindu Brahmins and Chhetris who have undergone Bratabandha (hair shaving ceremony) change the sacred thread (janai) and also tie sacred thread around the wrist of the right hand.

It is also believed that this thread should be removed only on the day of Laxmi Puja that falls during Laxmi Puja in Tihar.

Janai Purnima is also popularly known as Rakshya Bandan.

On this day, sisters offer rakhi (a symbol of protection) to their brothers.

Meanwhile, Gaijatra or the cow festival is also being observed in the Kathmandu Valley.

On the occasion, living kin paid homage to those who had passed away in the past one year.

Six years after Nepal signed an agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the much-debated MCC Nepal Compact will finally enter into the implementation phase on Wednesday.

The MCC Nepal Compact implementation will formally be announced at a formal program at the Finance Ministry on Wednesday through an official ‘Letter of Exchange’ between the officials of Nepal and the United States. Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Saran Mahat and MCC Vice President Cameron Alford will attend the event which will be the entry into force (EIF) of the MCC Nepal Compact.

The countdown for the five-year project will begin from the day of EIF. “The last date of the Nepal Compact is August 30, 2028,” said an official of Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Nepal, a special-purpose vehicle established to implement the Nepal Compact. Earlier on August 16, a meeting of the board of directors of Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Nepal, fixed August 30 as the date for EIF.

The execution of the Nepal Compact will span a precise five-year duration from its initiation, at which point the responsibility for the projects will shift to Nepal. Once this five-year period concludes, the funding from the MCC for the execution of the MCC Compact initiatives will cease.

Initially, the Nepal Compact was supposed to enter into the implementation stage on June 30, 2020. However, the delay in the ratification of the compact by Nepal’s Parliament amid a controversy threw the US assistance into uncertainty. The Nepal Compact finally moved ahead after the parliament endorsed it in February 2022.

MCC, the US aid agency has committed to provide $500 million while the government had earlier pledged $197 million to implement the transmission line and road improvement projects under the MCC Nepal Compact.

A 315-km high-capacity transmission line will be built and a section of the East-West Highway upgraded under the $500 million US aid. Five segments of transmission lines to be built are—New Butwal-India Border (18km), New Butwal-New Damauli (90km), New Damauli-Ratmate (90km), Ratmate-New Hetauda (58km), and Ratmate-Lapsephedi (59km). Three substations will be built in Ratmate, Damauli, and Butwal.

Once completed, these transmission lines are expected to provide a vital missing link for power projects of different river basins to the existing high-voltage grid in Nepal.

The government has allocated Rs 10.84 billion for the MCA-Nepal for the current fiscal year. While Rs 9.27 billion had been set aside for the entity in the last fiscal year, only Rs 4.11 billion was spent, according to the Finance Ministry.

With only two weeks left for entry into force, the preparatory work of the MCA Nepal Compact is far from over. Mainly, the land acquisition for the transmission lines has not been completed. Approximately 104 hectares of land will be procured across 10 districts to accommodate the towers needed for the 315 km transmission line corridor.

According to MCA Nepal, five out of the six prerequisites outlined in the compact agreement necessary for its execution have been met. These include designating the electricity transmission project as a matter of national importance, enacting legislation to establish the Electricity Regulatory Commission, finalizing the Project Implementation Agreement (PIA), formulating an operational work plan, reaching agreements between Nepal and the Indian governments regarding cross-border transmission lines, and securing approval for the compact from Nepal's Parliament.

MCA-Nepal has to acquire lands in Chitwan, Nawalparasi and Nawalpur, Kavrepalanchok, Kathmandu, Dhading, Makwanpur, Palpa, Rupandehi, and Tanahun for the transmission line project.

Except for Kathmandu, the process of land acquisition has started in other nine districts. A compensation and compensation determination committee has been formed under the coordination of the Chief District Officer.

Six Indian companies have submitted bids to construct the power line which will be constructed in three separate packages. An association of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd and Power Mech Projects Ltd along with Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited, KEC International Ltd, Transrail Lighting Ltd, Tata Projects Ltd, and Larsen & Toubro Ltd participated in the bid.

The three packages of the power line include Lapsiphedi-Ratmate-New Hetauda 400kV D/C Transmission Line, Ratmate-New Damauli 400kV D/C Transmission Line, New Damauli-New Butwal 400kV D/C Transmission Line (Base), and New Butwal Nepal/India Border 400kV D/C Transmission Line. The high-capacity transmission lines will be built connecting Nepal's major power consumption centers including Kathmandu Valley, Butwal, and Hetauda. This transmission line will also work as a bridge to link the eastern and western parts of the country with high-capacity transmission lines.

The MCA Nepal has also opened a tender for the construction of the substation. The last date for the submission of the bid is September 4th.