The Public Health Initiative was awarded a Healthy Lungs for Life grant by the European Lung Foundation (ELF) to conduct a range of local advocacy activities in Nepal. The Public Health Initiative used the grant to observe World Lung Day on 25 September 2023 with various local organisations and health institutions, including health posts in remote Nepal. The day celebration approach is an excellent way to spread awareness and promote lung health at the grassroots level in Nepal. In Nepal, their collaborative efforts with various organisations are pitched towards observing World Lung Day and advancing local lung safety agendas, raising awareness about the importance of lung health, and fostering a culture of safety within healthcare practices. They observed World Lung Day with the theme ‘Access to Prevention and Treatment for All. Leave No One Behind,’ and translated it into Nepali as वि श्व फो क्सो दि वस: रो कथा मका ला गि पहुँच र सबैका ला गि उपचा र.

Celebrating this day involved activities aimed at educating healthcare providers, patients, and the public about the importance of lungs health. The Public Health Initiative adopted the global theme of  “Access to Prevention and Treatment for All. Leave No One Behind”, and translated it into Nepali as वि श्व फो क्सो दि वस: रो कथा मका ला गि पहुँच र सबैका ला गि उपचा र. They prepared promotional materials such as posters, banners, and social media posts to spread the message about the event.

In collaboration with local partners, they carried out the following activities:

  1. conducted orientation sessions and discussions with health workers, female community health volunteers (FCHVs), students, and patients at the health post.
  2. organised an in-person awareness rally and a lungs health stall at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital premises.
  3. facilitated interaction and orientation programs with female community health volunteers, health workers, teachers, clients, public representatives, clubs, parent representatives, and students.
  4. utilised social media and online platforms to engage the public in discussions, share informative messages, and promote lung health.
  5. organised a photo frame competition among public health students.
  6. organised World Lungs Art, Meme, and Poster Competition.

By targeting various stakeholders, from healthcare providers to community leaders and students, the initiative aimed to take a coordinated approach to observing World Lungs Day and promoting lung health in Nepal.