BWH’s Duncan Maru, MD, PHD, of the Division of Global Health Equity, was in Nepal working with Possible to strengthen health care systems in the region when a record-breaking earthquake struck on April 25. Since then, Maru has been involved with Nepal’s post-earthquake planning and response efforts, while continuing to strengthen the health system in Nepal.
Maru recently co-authored two pieces with senior Nepali government officials about Nepal’s health care system. In the Washington Post, “Building back better after an earthquake” explores the global response to the earthquake, and how to leverage this influx of assistance to sustainably strengthen infrastructure in the country.
“Access, excess and medical transformation: Delivering durable health care in Nepal,” appearing in the Health Affairs Blog, describes some of the challenges and inequalities in Nepal’s health care sector, and proposes a new Durable Healthcare Organization model for care. This model “blends the access and scale of the public sector, the customer orientation and management practices of the private sector, and innovation of philanthropists and academics.”