　“How have you been? Since the beginning of September I have felt I should write a “Letter from Nepal”. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time, being busy with other businesses. But I have been looking into Hansen’s disease because I’m involved in patient activities. Here’s the result, which I hope will be helpful.

　　　　 Yasuo Hirata

Hansen’s Disease in Nepal

Hansen’s Disease is regarded as one of the illness, which should be exterminated in respect of public health in Nepal. According to the survey carried out by WHO, the number of Nepal is within 10 as of 1998. A medical treatment method wasn’t developed before 1965. After 1965 the government began to make every effort. As the result, MDT was started in 1982 and is still used in 70 out of 75 counties. Thanks to this treatment, the rate of new cases is on decrease every year. Now that the government set its aim, as WHO suggested, of “eradicating Hansen’s Disease by 2000”, it is tackling the disease seriously, promoting MDT. In Nepal, the measures against the disease are included in general health policy. Head officers of the regional health center called‘Health Post’ are responsible for detecting and treating the disease. There are, however, some difficulties; because two-thirds of the country is mountainous, which make traffic and communication hard. In addition, the number of doctors and nurses engaged in the disease is very small. Prejudice and discrimination still remain and early detection and treatment are still difficult. The government has taken the step of organizing and helping some associations, such as the Nepal Hansen’s Disease Association and so on. With all these efforts, the government encourages doctors and nurses to train themselves better and extend campaigns, one of them is “Campaign to Exterminate Hansen’s Disease”.

Hansen’s Disease, in Case of Nepal

aim of WHO as for the breakout : 1/10,000 by 2000　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　rate of breakout: 6.2/ 10,000 as of 1996　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5.9/ 10,000 as of 1997
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5.3/ 10,000 as of 1998　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

number of the patients: 12,540
of the completely healed: 47,308

　　　　　of newly patients: 7,446

rate of newly detected patients: 31,49/1000,000

(as of September 1998 according to the survey of WHO)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　National Flag of Nepal

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The Moon, the upper part, means the royal family and the Sun,
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　the lower part, Prime Minister.　They represent everlasting the nation’s prosperity.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The design is rare, that the Sun and the Moon are　white to a red background with a dark blue border.

Thanks to Mr. Hirata, we’ve got to know more about Nepal.

Therefore we introduce Nepalese members of the Meguro UNESCO Association.

Ms. Menandhar Gyanu Kato

Gyanu has been introduced several times in the Short News.

She got married to Mr. Kato, devoted husband in Katmandu.

She was also a one-day teacher of international understanding at Ochiai Third Elementary School in Shinjuku. Do you remember her?

At UNESCO Bazaar on October 18th, she will serve us Nepal curry and rice. Why don’t you have some? Her family runs a hotel in Katmandu. Her brother welcomes especially Japanese travelers. Now she studies Japanese very hard to get a 2nd grade of Japanese Qualification Test. Let’s welcome her again.

　　　　Hotel: Red Planet THEML. Katmandu

Mr. Adhikari is Ph.D candidate at Shinshu University. He took part in the Retreat this year and two years ago. He and his friends talked late at night and still there remains a lot they want to talk about. He is a graduate of prestigious college in Nepal. When Adviser Tajima visited Nepal, he had the honor to meet President. Both of Mr. & Mrs. Adhikari are fluent in Japanese. Bimala is excellent