A field in Nepal
A field in Nepal (Photo: K.M. Blom-Bakke)

BIS collaboration in Nepal

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The overarching objective of Building Stronger Public Health Institutions and Systems (BIS) is to work with local partners to build more resilient health systems. The aim of the capacity building is to address population needs by strengthening national (and regional) institutions working with public health.

BIS collaboration in Nepal Phase 2

Nepal was a BIS phase 1 partner country (2023 – 2025) and is continuing in phase 2, (2025 - 2029).

The BIS collaboration consists of peer-to-peer support and cooperation between employees at the Norwegian Institute Public Health (NIPH) and our collaborating partners in Nepal. Nepal does not have a national public health institute. NIPH aims to identify and work with additional partners in country where we can support public health functions.

Main aims of the BIS programme in Nepal

The BIS 2 programme in Nepal has two main aims that look to strengthening the WHO Essential Public Health Function 11: Public health research, evaluation and knowledge development.

  • Bridging the research - policy – practice divide, by focusing on an understanding of the key actors involved in evidence-informed policy and practice in the country.
  • Strengthening the capacity to conduct high quality implementation research  

Main Collaborating Partners

NIPH’s current main collaborating institution in Nepal Kathmandu University School of Medical Science (KUSMS). KUSMS mirrors NIPH’s social mission – to produce, summarise, and disseminate knowledge to support good public health efforts and healthcare services, to contribute to better health.

KUSMS is a pioneering institution advancing the field of health sciences, training, research, and services in Nepal, in close collaboration with Dhulikhel Hospital (DH).

Furthermore, the BIS supports and collaborates with The Consortium of Academic Institutions for Public Health in Nepal (CAIPHEN). CAIPHEN comprises the nine main academic institutes overseeing public health education programmes in Nepal. CAIPHEN aims to enhance the quality, relevance and implementation of public health education, policy and services.

A bunch of people in front of a green lawn
CAIPHEN members 2026

BIS 2 activities 2025-2026

Evidence informed policy making

The Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal, in collaboration with KUSMS and with support from the BIS team, initiated a comprehensive situation analysis of the evidence ecosystem in Nepal. The objectives of this work are to:

  1. map the existing actors involved in evidence informed policy making (EIPM) in Nepal, including their respective mandates and capacities; and
  2. drawing on global lessons and the current country context, examine options for the development of the newly established knowledge translation platform (KTP) and its role within the existing EIPM ecosystem.

As part of the process, the team conducted a series of workshops and stakeholder consultations, bringing together policymakers, researchers, academic institutions, and other relevant partners. These engagements have provided valuable insights into existing strengths, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening the use of evidence in health policy and decision-making in Nepal. The final product is expected to be completed in 2027.

Post it lapper på tavle
Mapping the evidence ecosystem from the perspective of evidence producers. Workshop with CAIPHEN members at KUSMS held in May 2026.

Strengthening Implementation Research Capacity

BIS 2 continues to strengthen implementation research capacity in Nepal through a range of activities in collaboration with KUSMS. The Implementation Research Fellowship program pairs academic staff in different public health universities in Nepal with government officials and supports them to design and conduct implementation research, combining mentorship, practical training and collaborative learning. Three pairs of Implementation research fellows are currently supported through this program.

Two rounds of implementation research bootcamps have been conducted by KUSMS and CAIPHEN with support from BIS 2, one for public health students and one for researchers and professionals.

Knowledge exchange and Networking: CAIPHEN updates

The 2026 Conference was held as a 2-day event for the first time, on 16-17 May. The focus was on digital health, with the title “Advancing Public Health: a convergence of experience, emerging voices, and innovations in health Systems and Digital Health”. 300 people attended on both days. The 2027 Conference will be hosted by Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences, with the date to be decided.

People in a panel discussion
Panel discussion during CAIPHEN Conference 2026 (From Left to Right: Dr. Animesh Kunwar, Dr. Pradip Gyawali, Dr. Bhim Prasad Sapkota, Dr. Akina Shrestha, Dr. Heather Ames, Dr. Dipesh Tamrakar)

NIPH Collaborative Team

Main achievements of BIS phase 1

  • The Consortium of Academic Institutions for Public Health in Nepal (CAIPHEN), comprising nine academic public health institutes, was formed to enhance the quality, relevance and implementation of public health education, policy and services. Annual consortium meetings and an assessment of public health competencies in Nepal were conducted.
  • Two Public Health Students’ Conferences, February 2024 and May 2025, hosted at KUSMS on behalf of CAIPHEN, brought together in total 580 students from across Nepal for networking and knowledge exchange.
  • Two Planetary Health Courses were conducted in collaboration with NHRC and KUSMS to strengthen the knowledge between climate and health to adapt to and mitigate climate related health risks. The course laid the foundation for future program development and discussions.
  • An Implementation Research Fellowship program was launched, in collaboration with NHRC and KUSMS, to strengthen the capacity of and collaboration between public health faculty and governmental officials. The fellowship emphasizes mentoring, practical training classes, and collaborative learning.
  • A case study of Climate Change and Dengue in Nepal, focused on the health system’s resilience and response to the rise in dengue cases. It was conducted by NHRC and the Planetary Health Research Centre (PHRC), Kathmandu, in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIHP) upon request from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
  • The PhD Programme in Health Sciences at KUSMS was successfully established in November 2022, marking a major milestone in building advanced research capacity in Nepal. BIS-funded PhD candidates, affiliated with KUSMS and the NHRC, were selected to pursue studies under this program. This program will contribute to the development of a new generation of public health researchers.
  • A joint successful grant proposal resulted in the IpreventNCD research project that aims to prevent and reduce non-communicable disease (NCD) risks among pregnant and post-pregnant women and their offspring.
  • Three Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Courses were conducted at Tribhuvan University – Central Department of Microbiology (TU-CDM), Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital Institute of Medicine (TUTH-IOM), and KUSMS. The training brought together 69 staff and students from TU-CDM, TUTH-IOM, Warun, the National Public Health Laboratory, and KUSMS, in addition to Uppsala University, Savitribai Phule Pune University and NIPH as participating institutes fostering collaboration and strengthening technical expertise.
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