Kathmandu, June 22 -- The government has allocated Rs21.1 million to launch preventive measures against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for 73 percent of the country's total deaths.

According to the Non-communicable Disease and Mental Health Section of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, the allocation falls far short of the Rs35 million budget ceiling set for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26. In comparison, around Rs47 million was allocated for mental health and NCDs in the current fiscal year.

"We had planned several preventive measures against the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, but the allocated budget does not allow us to move forward," said Dr Pomawati Thapa, chief of the section. "We cannot...