Use of telehealth services among Nepali living overseas during Covid-19 pandemic: The opportunities, limitations, lessons learned and recommendations

Abstract

There are estimated over 8 million Nepali migrants spread across various countries around the globe. Though the majority of them enjoy good health in general, a large proportion of them suffer from non-communicable diseases, mental health issues and communicable diseases. Telemedicine services, which are organized by Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), have been proven to be effective in addressing some of the medical needs of the migrant Nepali workers. The purpose of this study is to assess the use of tele-health services among Nepali migrant population and examine the limitations. During the pandemic period from March 2020 through August 2021, Nepali in different countries utilized telehealth services. Mental health issues, chronic diseases, skin diseases were the most common ailments people sought telehealth services for. Digital gap, lack of cross-border regulations and unwillingness to utilize telemedicine were the challenges the service faced in the optimal use of such services. Training and education, use of easy Apps and subsidies from the government would help in the long-term use and sustainability of telehealth services amongst the Nepali migrants.

Enhancing healthcare access during disasters and emergencies: Recommendations from Nepali migrants in Japan

“…Similarly, in the current era of the infodemic, where there is a proliferation of misinformation, native migrant influencers living in Japan can be effective in using their media platform to transmit essential, credible information to various age groups. In addition, Nepali Telehealth services are available to address the health needs of Nepali living in different parts of the world [ 23 ]. These services have the potential to be optimized to improve healthcare access, particularly for individuals with language barriers or during times of disaster when accessing healthcare in person may be difficult.…”

Barriers and facilitating factors to healthcare accessibility among Nepalese migrants during COVID-19 crisis in Japan: an exploratory sequential mixed methods study

“…Some focus group participants mentioned that they received free consultations with Nepali doctors and nurses in the form of Zoom video calls or telephone. Telehealth services provided by the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) have also helped meet the health needs of the eight million migrant Nepali workers around the world [ 58 ]. Similarly, during times of disasters or isolation, the sharing of resources such as food, medicine, and financial aid has been shown to help in minimizing the effects of disasters [ 59 ].…”

Practitioners' perspectives on preparing for and delivering remote psychological support in Nepal, Perú and the United States during COVID‐19

“…) in response to the COVID-19 lockdown protocols, yet access to Internet ranges from 33% to 63% across the three Perúvian geographic regions. Similarly, in Nepal, telehealth services, including for mental health, were initiated nationally in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 lockdown; however, factors like inadequate infrastructure, specific requirements for reliable Internet connectivity and preferred electronic devices, and lower 'digital literacy' limited the amount to which Nepali health seekers could access care (Sapkota et al, 2022;Singh et al, 2021).…”

“…in response to the COVID‐19 lockdown protocols, yet access to Internet ranges from 33% to 63% across the three Perúvian geographic regions. Similarly, in Nepal, telehealth services, including for mental health, were initiated nationally in March 2020 in response to the COVID‐19 lockdown; however, factors like inadequate infrastructure, specific requirements for reliable Internet connectivity and preferred electronic devices, and lower ‘digital literacy’ limited the amount to which Nepali health seekers could access care (Sapkota et al, 2022; Singh et al, 2021). Comparatively, prior to COVID‐19, the USA was identified as a ‘frontrunner’ in telemedicine invention, implementing and optimizing telehealth programs nationally and with a stronger infrastructure to meet the increased demand for mental health services post‐COVID‐19 (Bhaskar et al, 2020).…”