Government Must Act, Citizens Must Stay Alert During Monsoon

The monsoon is vital for agriculture, water resources and Nepal’s natural cycle, but it also brings serious public health risks. High temperatures, humidity, persistent rainfall, stagnant water, blocked drains, unmanaged waste and contaminated drinking water create favourable conditions for the spread of disease.

Cases of diarrhoea, acute gastrointestinal infections, cholera, typhoid, dengue and other water-borne and vector-borne illnesses often rise during this season. Children, older people, pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses and communities lacking access to clean water and sanitation face the greatest danger.

These risks recur every year, yet government preparation remains largely reactive. Drains are often cleaned only after flooding, mosquito-control campaigns begin after infections rise, and health facilities struggle with shortages of medicines, testing materials and trained personnel.

Public health cannot be treated as the responsibility of hospitals alone. It is directly linked to drinking water, sanitation, waste management, housing, drainage, environmental protection and disaster preparedness. Effective coordination among the federal government, provinces, local authorities and public health agencies is therefore essential.

Every local government should implement a monsoon health preparedness plan. Disease surveillance must be strengthened, outbreaks identified quickly and health institutions supplied with essential medicines, laboratory facilities and emergency response teams. Water sources and distribution systems should be tested regularly, while waste collection, drain cleaning and the removal of stagnant water must be carried out before problems become severe.

However, government failure does not remove individual responsibility. Citizens should prevent water from collecting around their homes, cover water-storage containers, drink boiled or safely treated water, eat fresh and hygienic food, wash their hands regularly and protect themselves from mosquito bites.

People experiencing persistent fever, prolonged diarrhoea, dehydration, extreme weakness or a rapidly worsening condition should seek medical attention without delay. Self-medication and the unnecessary use of antibiotics can worsen health problems and contribute to drug resistance.

Public awareness campaigns should not remain limited to advertisements in Kathmandu. Clear health information must reach communities through local languages, schools, community radio, health volunteers, social media and neighbourhood organisations. Citizens need practical guidance about which symptoms can be managed at home and when professional treatment is necessary.

The government cannot simply advise poor and vulnerable communities to remain cautious while failing to provide clean water, sanitation and accessible treatment. Public awareness is important, but it cannot replace the state’s responsibility to provide basic health protection.

Most monsoon-related illnesses are preventable. The government must abandon the habit of responding only after outbreaks occur, while citizens must treat health protection as a shared personal and community responsibility.

Awareness is the first line of defence, but effective leadership must come from the government. Only responsible public institutions and vigilant citizens can prevent the monsoon from becoming a season of illness and fear.