Kathmandu, March 25 -- In 2009, a renowned international non-governmental organisation pledged with the Ministry of Health to provide free mid-day meals to children of the entire Karnali region. But, the organisation later informed officials that it could only offer free mid-day meals for six months due to a funding crunch.

"We accepted the programme and allowed the donor to provide free mid-day meals for six months," said Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, former director general of the Department of Health Services. "We lacked a sustainable plan at the time-and we still lack one."

The issue is not only of the mid-day meals but most programmes of healthcare, including those related to nutrition, run in crisis mode every time, due to a lack of sustai...