Health system’s readiness to provide cardiovascular, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease related services in Nepal: analysis using 2015 health facility survey

Abstract Background: The burgeoning rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is posing serious challenges in resource constrained health facilities of Nepal. The main objective of this study was to assess the readiness of health facilities for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) services in Nepal. Methods: This study utilized data from the Nepal Health Facility Survey 2015. General readiness of 940 health facilities along with disease specific readiness for CVDs, diabetes and CRDs were assessed using service availability and readiness assessment manual of the World Health Organization (WHO). Health facilities were categorized into public and private facilities. Results: Out of a total of 940 health facilities assessed, private facilities showed higher availability of items of general service readiness, except for standard precautions for infection prevention, compared to public facilities. The multivariable adjusted regression coefficients for CVDs (β=2.87, 95%CI: 2.42-3.39), diabetes (β =3.02, 95%CI: 2.03-4.49) and CRDs (β=15.95, 95%CI: 4.61-55.13) at private facilities were higher than the public hospitals. Health facilities located in hills had higher readiness index for CVDs (β=1.99, 95%CI: 1.02 - 1.39). Service readiness for CVDs (β=1.13, 95%CI: 1.04-1.23) and diabetes (β=1.78, 95%CI: 1.23-2.59) were higher in the urban municipalities than in rural municipalities. Finally, disease related services readiness index was sub-optimal with some degree of variation at the province level in Nepal. Compared to province 1, Province 2 (β=0.83, 95%CI: 0.73-0.95), and province 4 (β =1.24, 95%CI: 1.07-1.43) and province 5 (β =1.17, 95%CI: 1.02-1.34) had higher readiness index for CVDs.Conclusions: This study found sub-optimal readiness of services related to three NCDs at the public facilities in Nepal. Compared to public facilities, private facilities showed higher readiness score for CVDs, diabetes and CRDs. To cope up with the growing burden of NCDs, urgent improvement in health services, particularly in public facilities are critical to manage common NCDs.