Dec 24, Kathmandu- The 'One School, One Nurse' program run in various schools in Ramechhap is becoming effective.

The program, run with the support of the Bagmati Province government, has benefited girls in particular. The program has become a boon for girls studying in community schools in the district. Girls used to not come to school during their periods, and even when they did, they would leave the class and go home. However, after the implementation of this program, the regular attendance rate of girls in the class has also increased after the school nurse program, said Narayan Prasad Ghimire, principal of Sharada Sanskrit Secondary School, Baviyakharka. Since it is difficult for one nurse to manage Manthali Secondary School, which has more than 2,000 students, it would be easier if there were two, said another principal, Tanka Prasad Dahal.

According to the School Health and Nursing Service Directive, 2076 issued by the provincial government, although there is a provision to provide this service in schools operating +2 in the district, this service is not available in all schools in the district. The Education Development and Coordination Unit has stated that although the program has been implemented in some schools, there are difficulties in service delivery due to the vacancies of nurses. Netra Prasad Gajurel, head of the Education Development and Coordination Unit, said that this program has been implemented in only 46 schools out of 93 secondary-level community schools in the district.