This is the first in a series of guest contributions by authors working for health justice in South Asia. We are pleased to support their work, and encourage our readers to think critically about the connection between our work and theirs.
April marks Nyaya’s second birthday working as an advocate for health justice for the people of Achham. During these past two years, we have accomplished a great deal, working in close 
collaboration with both the people of Achham and also the regional and national health authorities. Unfortunately, despite inspiring successes, an immense amount remains to be done.
This year, on April 7th, as the world celebrated the WHO’s World Health Day, a close friend of Nyaya’s, Jagannath Lamichhane, wrote about this tenuous balance between progress achieved-to-date and the continued need for further advocacy. Jagannath says that, “the [Nepali] government has an obligation to respect the right to health of its population by developing appropriate infrastructure and policies; but we are also equally responsible in creating a healthy city.”
You can read Jagannath’s article in eKantipur here
Nyaya joins with Jagannath in calling for health for not only the Nepali people, but for people around the world, and continues to advocate on behalf of those whose voices go unheard, those who continue to struggle for access to even the most basic right to life.
Jagannath Lamichhane is a mental health rights activist based on Kathmandu. He is a columnist with the Kathmandu Post National English Daily, where he writes fortnightly column “Mental Health and Society”. Jagannath is actively engaged in the Movement for Global Mental Health that advocates for the equitable promotion of mental health in equal footing of physical health around the world.
