HERD International

29/12/2025

हामीसँग सहकार्य गर्नुहोस् । २० पुस २०८२ सम्म आवेदन दिनु होला है ! थप जानकारीको लागि तलको QR code प्रयोग गर्नुहोस, वा https://herdint.com/vacancy/vacancy-announcement-enumerators-for-kapilvastu-only-for-female-candidates/ मा जानुहोस ।

26/12/2025

The HERD International Newsletter for December is here! Check it out for the latest updates, journal articles, blogs, and insights on our health system strengthening activities in Nepal.

https://mailchi.mp/b1d62895078e/herd-international-newsletter-december-2025

24/12/2025

Happening right now: HERD International colleagues conducting a framework development, priority review, and planning workshop for the new Development for Innovation (D4I) initiative being implemented in collaboration with the British Embassy in Kathmandu.

19/12/2025

The International Conference on Health Economics, organized by the Nepal Health Economics Association (NHEA) in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), was held in Kathmandu on December 11-12, 2025. The theme of the conference was “Health Economics for Policy.”

The conference gathered around 200 experts, policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders from Nepal and abroad. Partners included the Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting in Health (University of Bergen), GIZ, P4H, HERD International, Kathmandu University, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. Discussions centered on evidence-based health financing, priority setting, reducing financial hardship, and accelerating progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.

On the occasion, evidence was presented from the People's Voice Survey (PVS) on public trust, confidence, and perceived quality of care in Nepal's health system conducted by HERD International. Senior Research Officer Bipul Lamichhane shared the findings of the nationally representative phone-based survey involving over 2,000 adults. The results showed a generally positive perception of usual care, with higher satisfaction reported for private facilities compared to public ones. The finding showed that survey participants expressed ‘strong overall confidence’ in receiving quality care when becoming seriously ill. They had a widespread view that the health system has improved over time. The study further highlighted important variations in trust and perceptions across gender, age, urban/rural settings, and wealth quintiles. This kind of survey can be the cost-effective and a practical method for monitoring health system performance in resource-constrained environments like Nepal.

Another key highlight of the conference was a plenary session titled “Towards sustainable UHC: Fixing Fragmentation and Strengthening Nepal’s Social Health Protection System. Dr. Devendra Gnawali (OPM/ GIZ) opened the session with his presentation highlighting country’s mechanism on social health protection and key gap. Moderated by Dr. Sushil Baral, (HERD International), the panelist included Mr. Mahesh Acharya (Ministry of Finance), Dr. Krishna Prasad Paudel (Ministry of Health and Population-Nepal), Dr. Bernd Appelt (Independent Expert) and Dr. Subash Pyakurel.

The panel discussed how multiple, parallel financing arrangements have created overlapping administrative systems, unclear lines of accountability, and reduced the effectiveness of risk pooling. Beyond identifying these challenges, the discussion focused on practical reform options to better align and integrate financing mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability. On the occasion, Anna Koziel (World Bank) also shared her remarks from a global perspective.



(photo courtesy: GIZ Nepal)

18/12/2025

Strengthening Urban Primary Health Care for Health Equity

HERD International has been contributing to policy discourse led by the Government of Nepal on strengthening urban primary health care to advance urban equity. Recently, HERDi participated in two major events hosted by the Ministry of Health and Population and the Bagmati Provincial Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization Nepal Office.

The Bagmati Provincial Ministry of Health and WHO Nepal organized a two-day workshop on “Reimagining Primary Health Care for Universal Health Coverage”, which was held in Kathmandu on 11–12 December 2025, bringing together key stakeholders to address urban health inequities in cities. The main objective of the workshop was to share evidence and ideas for strengthening primary health care to reach underserved and vulnerable urban populations.

Multiple research findings related to urban health and primary health care were presented in the workshop. Panel sessions were conducted, and technical thematic group discussions were held to identify actionable solutions to address urban health inequities.

Addressing the workshop, the Minister for Health, Bagmati Province, Kiran Thapa Magar, emphasized that rapid urbanization had widened health disparities and called for equity-focused primary health care reforms.

On the occasion, Dr. Sushil Baral, director at HERD International, presented opportunities and challenges in urban primary health care. He highlighted ongoing inequities driven by socio-economic factors, data gaps that masked the urban poor, and emphasized the need for stronger private sector engagement and data harmonization to support evidence-based planning for the unreached population.

Dr Gampo Dorji, Senior Health Policy Advisor at the World Health Organization, Nepal, presented different approaches to addressing equity in primary health care.

The workshop also featured a session on lived experiences from urban communities, moderated by Shreeman Sharma, Research Uptake Manager at HERD International. The dialogue provided a platform for community members to share firsthand experiences of barriers to accessing health services, such as financial hardship, poor living conditions, and difficulties in accessing health care.

Through thematic group work, participants discussed mapping vulnerable urban populations, strengthening community engagement, and promoting cross-sectoral actions including inclusive WASH, to protect at-risk groups. Participants also discussed prioritized action plans with a commitment to coordinated action to reduce urban health inequities in Bagmati Province.

Earlier, on 12 November, Ministry of Health and Population-Nepal the Ministry of Health and Population and the World Health Organization Nepal hosted a similar interaction on “Reimagining Primary Health Care for Universal Health Coverage”, which focused on strengthening urban PHC to advance urban health equity in Nepal.

16/12/2025

Citizen Science Approach to Exploring Lifestyle-Related NCD Risk Factors

HERD International has adopted a 'citizen science' approach in its one of the studies titled "Participatory Engagement of City Communities Against NCD Risk (PECAN)" to address the growing burden of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in urban communities of Nepal.
By engaging community members as 'co-production group members', this study enables citizens to conduct observations and interviews in their own communities. This participatory process strengthens local capacity to collect data, understand NCD risks, and co-design community-led solutions based on real-life contexts.

The PECAN project is an implementation research that brings together policymakers, practitioners, and citizens to generate evidence-based, equitable, and sustainable strategies for reducing NCD risk. Using Participatory Learning and Action (PLA), the project explores behaviors and health indicators related to healthy and unhealthy lifestyles associated with non-communicable disease (NCD) risk. These include diet, physical activity, to***co use, harmful alcohol consumption, blood pressure, blood glucose, and Body Mass Index (BMI) among adults aged 18 years and above.

UCL Institute for Global Health

15/12/2025

We are looking for District Agriculture Officers! Scan the QR Code below or visit our website to apply by Sunday, December 28, 2025.
https://herdint.com/vacancy/vacancy-announcement-district-agriculture-officer-12/

15/12/2025

Many congratulations to our colleagues Bipul Lamichhane and Sujan Sapkota!

15/12/2025

A Valuable Resource for Urban Health

The focus of the urban health system today is to improve the well-being of people living in cities by addressing the complex challenges created by rapid urbanization. The recently launched WHO guide for decision-makers on taking a strategic approach to urban health provides an important resource for policy discourse, offering a clear framework for long-term, integrated urban health action. HERDi is pleased to have its work featured in this significant resource.


Taking a Strategic Approach to Urban Health – A Guide for Decision-Makers: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116177

Linking public and private health care providers to improve noncommunicable disease services in Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/urban-health-documents/formatted-059-pokhara9b17cf97-2b1f-4587-a95d-5e8cfb14370c.pdf?sfvrsn=27216556_3

15/12/2025

12/12/2025

International Conference on Health Economics !
Watch Live Here :

12/12/2025

International Conference on Health Economics

The International Conference on 2025 continued today with a range of insightful sessions and presentations. The conference is covering key themes in health financing, universal health coverage, strategic purchasing, priority setting, and health system reform.
A major highlight of today is the discussion on addressing fragmentation within Nepal’s health system and exploration of ways to harmonize social security schemes to strengthen the Social Health Security System.
Speakers and experts including policy makers from Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Finance and GIZ Nepal emphasized how fragmentation across line ministries and government entities limits the benefits people receive through existing social security programmes and also presented ideas on strengthening collaboration.
With experts, policymakers, development partners, and researchers from Nepal and abroad, the conference has provided an opportunity for learning and collaboration.
HERD International is proud to be one of the partners of this conference.
watch live here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579020942599