How effectively are social accountability mechanisms being applied in mental health services within the newly federalized health system of Nepal? A multi-stakeholder qualitative study.

Background: The burden of mental health problems and inequalities in healthcare has emerged as critical issues, in Nepal. Strengthened citizen-driven social accountability (SA) is an effective strategy for building equitable health systems and providing quality healthcare services to all, yet SA in mental health is an under-researched area in Nepal.

Objective: This study explores changes in mental health service delivery in the re-configured federal health system and discusses the functioning and effectiveness of SA in the federalized context of Nepal.

Mental Health Risks Among Informal Waste Workers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

Informal waste workers are a vulnerable population group who are often socio-economically marginalized and disadvantaged, with more likelihood of experiencing ill health than the general population. To explore the determinants of mental ill health in this group, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1278 informal waste-workers in Nepal in 2017, using a demographic health assessment questionnaire and a modified Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). We looked at the potential associations between various exposure factors and mental health outcomes and found that 27.