Nepal observed the fourth anniversary of its 2015 earthquake on April 25, 2019, recalling the disaster that caused huge damage for the nation, killing more than 9000 public and made millions homeless.

Marking the day, Prime Minister Oli joined the gathering of locals and civil servants at a memorial in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square.

“I would like to offer my condolences to those all who lost their lives. We are here remembering the pain of that day… and it is also important to examine how much work we have been able to do in the last four years to restore and rebuild what we lost,” Oli said in a statement.

PM Oli writes his remarks in front of the Kasthamandap temple that collapsed in the 2015 earthquake

Durbar Square is also one of the important structures hit by the earthquake and is being rebuilt.

Portraits of the earthquake victims who lost their lives were put on display at the reconstruction site of Durbar Square.

The gathering observed a minute silence at around 11:56 am, the same time the 7.8 magnitude earthquake had hit the country in 2015.

Earthquake Reconstruction on Pace

On the occasion, the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) said that half of the earthquakes who lost their houses in the disaster have already built their new ones. While another 30 percent are in the process of reconstruction.

As per the reports, the government has already sanctioned USD 3,000 in aid over three installments for the victims to rebuild their houses.

“We still have a lot to do and we will complete it in the next 20 months,” says Sushil Gyawali, NA Chief.

Meanwhile, more than USD 9 billion fund has already been plagued by the political issues, and the government is also facing USD 4 billion shortfall in the overall reconstruction fund.

Reconstructed school building in Nepal

“We are now sharing a three-roomed flat. Even this was built with a loan. Quake victims need more support from the government,” says Sri Ram Shrestha (48), one of the earthquake victims who lost his two-story house.

Surprisingly, three new tremors touched the country’s landscape on the fourth anniversary day!

May the old lessons help the nation assess its readiness to unexpected disasters and take necessary steps to avoid such incidents in the future!

Also Read | April 2015 Earthquake: Restoration of Nepal Heritage Sites Begin!

Also Read | Earthquake Tremors Continue to Terrorize Nepal

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In her first term Dr Khetrapal Singh, focused on building an increasingly responsive and accountable WHO in the Region, while prioritizing persisting and emerging epidemiological and demographic challenges; promoting universal health coverage and building robust health systems; strengthening emergency risk management and articulating a strong regional voice in global health agenda.  She identified eight flagship priority programmes, focusing on results and accountability, which are cascading into sustainable and result-oriented efforts. 

From vision to results

In the last five years, inclusive, sustainable and quantifiable gains have been made in the Region and are accelerating in pace every year.

Certified polio-free in 2014, WHO South-East Asia became the second WHO Region to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015. Four countries eliminated measles and six controlled rubella. Maternal and under-five deaths reduced significantly. 

Thailand became the first in Asia-Pacific and the first with a large HIV epidemic—to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. Maldives and Sri Lanka were certified malaria free. Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand eliminated lymphatic filariasis, India was declared yaws-free and Nepal trachoma-free.

For universal health coverage, access to safe, high-quality medicine is being enhanced through the South-East Asia Regulatory Network established in 2016. Countries have developed multi-sectoral action plans for a whole-of-society approach to reverse non-communicable diseases.

Prone to natural disasters, the Region’s investment in strengthening emergency risk management is evident from the responses to the Nepal earthquake, the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, cyclones, floods and earthquakes.

There is a strong political commitment to end TB by 2030.

Despite progress we have challenges; some permanent, some programmatic, some epidemiological and some transient, said Dr Khetrapal Singh.

Sustain, accelerate and innovate

Detailing her vision for her next term in her acceptance speech at the Executive Board, Dr Khetrapal Singh said, “We must sustain the gains we made. It means ensuring we hold fast to our progress in diseases elimination, which history shows can return with a vengeance if attention falters, and ensuring that there is no room for complacency”.

“We must accelerate sustainable progress,” she said. Her eight regional flagship priority programmes are aligned to WHO’s global goals and health targets for Sustainable Development Goal 3.

“We must innovate”, Dr Khetrapal Singh said, adding innovation means taking advantage of the existing opportunities, being agile in applying research findings and developing new policies to meet the challenges we face.

“Ending TB will be difficult unless we develop and apply rapid diagnostics, which test and diagnose large populations in a short time. Likewise, we cannot hope to eradicate key neglected tropical diseases which largely affect the poor unless we can create and implement policies that address the needs of specific communities in specific areas,” she said.

The Regional Director said there is a robust commitment to leave no one behind. WHO’s ‘triple billion’ targets, the Sustainable Development Goal 3 and the efforts to achieve universal health coverage focus on equitable access and equity.

“I have confidence that together we will sustain our gains, accelerate progress and harness the full power of innovation to advance health and well-being across the WHO South-East Asia Region,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.

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The Government of India presented a Rs 2.1 billion grant to Nepal as a reimbursement to the first tranche of private housing reconstruction grant it promised to the Himalayan nation under cooperation for post-earthquake reconstruction projects.

This grant would be supporting 42,086 beneficiaries awaiting housing support in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts of Nepal.

In its release, the Indian Government also informed that it has been collaborating with UNDP and UN Office for Project Services to ensure socio-technical support to housing beneficiaries in those districts.

The latest move by Indian Government follows the MoU that the two countries had signed on February 20, 2016.

As part of the agreement, Indian Government had agreed to support Nepal in its post-earthquake reconstruction housing activity by providing USD 100 million grant towards rebuilding 50,000 private houses in the aforementioned districts.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over the grant to the Finance Secretary Rajan Khanal at an event in Kathmandu on July 27, 2018.

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