Nepal's Karnali Province halts lifesaving child nutrition programme amid budget crisis

A critical nutrition programme in Nepal’s Karnali Province has ground to a halt this fiscal year. The Health Ministry stopped distributing free fortified flour in all five districts, citing a severe budget shortfall. Experts now fear the move could erase years of progress in tackling child malnutrition. The suspension stems from a budget cut of around Rs100 million for nutrition schemes. Without funds, the fortified flour programme—once a lifeline for malnourished children—has been indefinitely paused. Health officials warn that the halt will deepen the province’s long-standing malnutrition crisis, where over 30 percent of children under five suffer from stunting, the highest rate in Nepal.

Over-reliance on donors has left such programmes vulnerable. Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, former director general of the Department of Health Services, revealed that the government recently accepted a donor-funded six-month mid-day meal scheme without a long-term strategy. Yet even this temporary fix lacks a sustainable plan, leaving future support uncertain.

Nutrition experts stress that years of hard-won gains are now at risk. Many healthcare initiatives in Karnali already operate in crisis mode, scrambling for funds and stability. The latest cuts, they argue, could reverse decades of slow but steady improvements in child health. The budget cuts have forced an immediate stop to fortified flour distribution. Without intervention, malnutrition rates in Karnali may climb further. Officials and experts agree that lasting solutions—not short-term fixes—are needed to prevent a deeper health crisis.