Norway Nepal Global Health Conference 2023
The Pandemic Centre, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel Hospital, WHO and the University of Oslo join forces for this Global Health Conference in Dhilkhel, Nepal on the 29th of March.
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As countries across the globe grappled with the COVID19 crisis, there was no doubt that joining forces across borders was the only option, as we are only as strong as our weakest link. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that health challenges cannot be resolved without addressing the bigger picture; education, work, socio-economic aspects, environment to name a few.
The pandemic has exposed the fragility of health and education systems particularly in countries like Nepal. The pandemic has seen huge influx of jobless migrant workers with bleak futures unable to fend for themselves and their families. Nepal’s key critical gaps in public health education; poor quality of higher education, limitation of public health education due to few qualified faculty, lack of research exposure and training and lack of collaboration both within country and across countries, has been exacerbated during the pandemic.
There is a need to build and strengthen capacity in higher education in order to improve the response to key global challenges through innovative interdisciplinary approaches, digital transformation and social cohesion in Nepal and Norway.
The academic cooperation between the University of Oslo (COMENTH) in Norway and IOM (Tribhuvan University in Nepal) focuses on building core competencies for staff and students in particular in mental health. To further this model of engagement with key stakeholders and our new cadres of professionals/ researchers will entail building on the success so far and bringing together Norwegian (UiO, University of Bergen, NTNU) and Nepali (TU, KU, WHO) partners in attaining excellence in Global Health Research and Higher Education.
The Conference "Norway Nepal Global Health Conference", taking place at Dhulikhel Hospital on the 29th of March, will see experts and academics from both Norway and Nepal exploring how our two countries can partner together in addressing the challenges posed by this and future pandemics.
Program:
Session 1: State of the art global health challenges10.30 am to 12.30 am This session will address overarching issues | |
Keynote 1: Research and Higher Education as corner stones to achieve the SDGs | DEAN FACULTY OF MEDICINE, UiO, OSLO NORWAY Prof Dr. Hanne Hanne-Cathrin Flinstad Harbo |
Keynote 2: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Nepal | Ministry of Health, Nepal (Tbc) |
Keynote 3: Addressing Global Health Challenges Leadership and Governance | Director, Centre for Global Health, University of Oslo (UiO) Dr Jeanette H Magnus |
Keynote 4: Global Health Challenges1: -Lessons Learned from the COVID 19 pandemic | Director Pandemic Center, University of Bergen, Norway
Prof. Esperanza Diaz |
Keynote 4: Global Health Challenges 2: Climate Change and Health – Implications for Nepal | ICIMOD/ Embassy of Norway (Tbc) |
Keynote 5: Global Health Challenges 3: Conflict Crisis and Migration | Prof. Bernadette N Kumar NIPH, UiB, KU |
Discussion Roundtable with Speaker Moderators Prof Bernadette N Kumar and Dr Biraj Karmacharya | |
Lunch Break 12.30 to 13.30 | |
Session 2: Global Health Challenges: Opportunities and PartnershipsThis session will cover NCDs and Mental Health 13.30 to 15:15 | |
Keynote 6: WHO NCD Strategy – Why there is no health without Mental Health | WHO Representative Nepal Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav |
Keynote 7: Taking the NCD Agenda Forward in Nepal – Needs and Priorities | Ministry of Health Nepal |
Keynote 8: Why global mental health cannot be ignored any longer? Lessons Learned from COMENTH | Suraj Thapa /Saroj Ohja |
Keynote 9: From Knowledge to Action Addressing NCDs in Nepal Research Collaboration and Higher Education | Biraj Karmacharya (KU/ |
Keynote 10: From Knowledge to Action Addressing NCDs in Nepal at the Community Level | Local Government/ NGOs |
Moderators: Prof Saroj Ohja and Prof. Jeanette Magnus | |
15.15 – 15.30 Tea Break | |
Session 3: Succession: The Future of Global HealthResearch in Global Health Norway-Nepal Phd forum
Phd Student Presentations 15:30 – 17:15
Moderator: Dr Suraj Thapa UiO & Prof Esperanza Diaz, UiB | |
17:15 – 17: 30 Summary of the Day | |
18:00 Reception | |
ABOUT NEPAL
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world with an ethnically diverse population of about 29 million. Nepal has over the past two decades has its fair share of natural and man- made disasters including 2 devastating earthquakes. Although it made major strides in health in the past few decades, its health indicators are still some of the worst in the world. The current maternal (382/100,000 live births) and under-five (52/1000) mortality are some of the highest worldwide. Most importantly, the disparity in health is staggering. The life expectancy between the poorest and richest places differ by 27 years. Disadvantaged ethnic groups have twice as high under five mortality rates compared to national average. The skilled birth-attendance in rural areas is about 14%, whereas it is 51% in urban areas.
