AGP Executive Report

Medicine Safety: Nepal’s drug regulator revoked the registrations of 47 immunosuppressant brands over quality concerns, then clarified that medicines already in the market can still be sold. Doctors urge transplant recipients and others taking these drugs not to stop or change treatment without medical advice. Food Hygiene: Inspections found all 26 eateries checked along the Prithvi Highway fell short of the top two quality ratings; 12 were rated only “fair,” raising concerns for travellers’ health. Maternal Care: New national guidelines set standards for mother- and newborn-friendly services, including allowing a chosen family member during delivery, keeping newborns with their mothers and starting breastfeeding promptly. Lead Exposure: WHO says lead exposure contributes to more than 3.5 million deaths a year and affects hundreds of millions of children; Nepal is among the countries receiving support to strengthen blood-lead testing capacity.

Medicine Safety: Nepal has revoked registrations for 47 immunosuppressant brands over quality concerns, prompting doctors to warn of possible shortages for transplant recipients and others with chronic illness. Existing stocks may still be sold; patients should not stop or change treatment without consulting their doctor. Flood Response: The Red Cross and Bidur Municipality are providing aid to flood-hit families and planning support for housing, livelihoods, health services and water supplies. In Gorkha, floods swept away more than 1,200 farm animals and poultry, while veterinary teams are treating rescued livestock. Border Health: Health teams at Gaddachauki have screened 4,700 people returning from India for six diseases since mid-September; two tested positive for tuberculosis. Medical Oversight: Police have arrested four health-service operators over complaints concerning medical examinations for migrant workers, as Nepal’s recruitment dispute with Malaysia continues. Lead Exposure: WHO says 815 million children worldwide have potentially dangerous blood lead levels and urges governments to remove lead from products and environments.

Health Insurance: The Health Ministry has asked government hospitals and other federal agencies to enrol their employees in the national health insurance programme. Food Safety: Authorities ordered a recall of batch RP 05 mustard oil after tests found it substandard; the 1-litre packs were made by Reliable Nepal Agro in Chitwan. Rural Health Access: National-grid electricity has reached Hatiya’s hospital in remote Sankhuwasabha, replacing micro-hydropower supply and improving the reliability of services. Cancer Care: Nepal has begun CAR-T cell therapy for cancer patients, a significant step in expanding advanced treatment options. Flood Response: Recent floods have left displaced families facing ongoing needs, while thousands of children remain out of reach of measles vaccination.

Health Insurance: The Health Ministry has urged government hospitals and other public agencies to enrol their employees in the national health insurance programme. Rural Health Access: Hatiya’s hospital is now connected to the national electricity grid, improving power reliability for a remote community in Sankhuwasabha. Flood Response: Floods in Gorkha have destroyed homes and cut off access to villages, leaving families without secure shelter or food; Nepal’s Red Cross and health authorities are responding in affected areas. Cancer Care: Nepal has begun using CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancer patients, a significant step in expanding advanced treatment at home. Arthritis: Around three million Nepalis are estimated to live with arthritis, underscoring the scale of the country’s chronic disease burden.

Flood Health Response: The UN has launched emergency aid after flash floods in Gorkha, where at least five people are missing and 95 have been rescued. Relief teams are assessing needs for clean water, shelter and healthcare; flood-displaced children also remain at risk of missing measles vaccinations. Injury Risks: Monkey attacks in Nepalgunj have sent 40 people to Bheri Hospital for treatment over six weeks, prompting calls for a local response. Child Nutrition: Schools say the Rs 20 daily meal allowance is too low to provide balanced food as prices rise, despite a programme serving about 2.8 million children. Cancer Care: Nepal has begun CAR-T cell therapy for cancer patients, marking a new treatment option in the country.

Flood Response: A flash flood on the Budhi Gandaki swept away more than 200 homes, damaged bridges and left at least five people missing; over 100 trekkers were stranded. The Health Ministry is coordinating services, while rights groups urge safe shelter, healthcare and livelihood support for affected families. Cancer Care: Nepal has begun using CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancer patients, marking a major advance in locally available treatment. Mental Health: New suicide-risk management guidelines and government assurances of priority come amid calls for accessible, non-discriminatory care and concerns over limited support. Safe Water and Sanitation: International surveys that included Nepali schools and health facilities warn that basic taps and toilets do not guarantee services are adequate or accessible to students, patients and staff. Arthritis: Health specialists estimate nearly three million Nepalis have arthritis, warning that delayed treatment can cause lasting joint damage.

Budhigandaki Flood Response: Rescuers have reached flood-hit villages in Gorkha, where at least five people remain missing and 95 have been rescued. Flooding damaged homes and roads and disrupted water supplies and healthcare; aid agencies are delivering food and assessing urgent needs. Cancer Treatment: Nepal has begun using locally produced CAR-T cell therapy, a first for the country. A 20-year-old patient with relapsed blood cancer received the treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and is being monitored. Mental Health: The Health Ministry has unveiled national guidelines for assessing and managing suicide risk, including safety planning and referrals. Arthritis: Specialists estimate nearly three million Nepalis have rheumatism-related problems and urge timely care to prevent lasting joint damage. Food Safety: Authorities have banned the sale of non-edible fats labelled as ghee for worship, citing the risk consumers could mistake them for food.

Animal-Bite Injuries: Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj has treated 40 people for monkey bites in the past six weeks, as attacks on residents and homes raise concern. Flood Response: Rescuers are reaching Budhi Gandaki flood-hit villages, where five people remain missing. The Health Ministry is coordinating emergency care, while the Red Cross has sent supplies and tents for temporary hospitals. Health Cooperation: Nepal’s health minister and South Korea’s ambassador discussed support for healthcare infrastructure, digital health, insurance and cancer treatment. Cancer Care: Cancer made up 25.17% of new patients at Bharatpur’s BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in 2025; lung cancer was the most common diagnosis. Hospital Services: Seti Provincial Hospital will receive Rs 225 million for improvements, as it faces pressure on staffing, infrastructure and patient capacity. Health Access: Three members have been appointed to Nepal’s Health Insurance Board. The NHRC has also called for accessible, quality and non-discriminatory mental health services.

Gorkha Flood Response: Flash floods on the Budhi Gandaki swept away homes and bridges and damaged a hydropower project; five people were reported missing, while downstream residents were moved to safety. The Health Ministry has activated emergency health teams and is coordinating care. Save the Children is preparing shelter, water and hygiene supplies for affected families. Girls’ Health and Rights: Child marriage has declined in Nepal, with the share of women aged 20–24 married before 18 falling from 37% in 2014 to 28% in 2024–25. But poverty leaves girls behind, and Nepal remains off track to end the practice by 2030, UNICEF says. Food Safety: Inspectors fined Kathmandu’s Mantra Thakali Rs 250,000 after finding cockroaches, uncovered food and poor kitchen hygiene; officials ordered pest control and safer food handling. Sustainable Care: At an ophthalmology meeting, a speaker cited work in Nepal where reusing and recycling surgical blades helped return funds to the health system, showing how resource-conscious practices can support patient access.

Flood Response: After a landslide blocked the Budhigandaki River in Gorkha, authorities urged downstream residents to evacuate. Provincial rapid-response and emergency medical teams are on standby; no deaths or injuries had been reported immediately. Food Safety: Kathmandu officials fined Mantra Thakali Rs 250,000 after finding cockroaches and bugs, uncovered cooked food and poor kitchen hygiene. Cancer Care: A 17-year-old blood cancer patient received Nepal-made CAR-T therapy at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. The patient is stable, but doctors say a year of monitoring is needed to assess the outcome. Mental Health: The National Human Rights Commission called for accessible, affordable and non-discriminatory care, with more local counselling and protections for patients’ privacy and dignity. Festival Health: Kathmandu Metropolitan City is offering Dashain travellers free blood pressure and diabetes checks, along with medicine for diarrhoea, at Gongabu’s New Bus Park. Food Poisoning: A three-year-old girl in Dang died after eating poisonous wild mushrooms; her mother also became ill.

Trauma Care: Nepal’s flood survivors are being asked to relive their losses on camera, raising concerns that insensitive disaster reporting can deepen psychological harm. Cancer Treatment: A 17-year-old with blood cancer has received Nepal-made CAR-T cell therapy at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital; doctors say early signs are encouraging, but a year of monitoring is needed. Mental Health: The National Human Rights Commission called for accessible, affordable and non-discriminatory mental health care, with local counselling, privacy and respect for patients’ rights. Festival Health: Kathmandu is offering free blood pressure and diabetes checks, along with diarrhoea medicine, to Dashain travellers at Gongabu’s New Buspark. Food Safety: A three-year-old in Dang died after eating poisonous wild mushrooms; her mother also became ill. Heart Health: Doctors report more heart attacks among younger Nepalis, citing smoking, stress, inactivity and unhealthy diets. Flood Response: Measles vaccination for more than 35,000 children displaced by floods in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading has been stalled as health workers struggle to locate them.

Festival Health: Kathmandu is offering Dashain travelers free blood-pressure and diabetes checks, along with medicine for diarrhea, at Gongabu’s New Buspark. Tragedy in Dang: A three-year-old girl died after eating poisonous wild mushrooms; her mother was also taken ill. Pokhara Crash: A school bus plunged down a steep slope, killing five people and injuring 19, with survivors taken to local hospitals. Heart Health: Doctors report that heart attacks are increasingly affecting younger Nepalis, with about half of patients at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre under 45. Measles Risk: Flood-displaced children remain difficult to locate, delaying planned vaccination for more than 35,000 children in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading. Medical Training: The government has agreed to propose a stipend for medical interns equal to half the starting salary at the eighth level of the health service.

School Bus Tragedy: Five people, including four students, were killed and 19 injured when a school bus plunged down a steep slope in Pokhara. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals. Heart Health: Doctors say heart attacks are increasingly affecting younger Nepalis: about half of patients treated at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre are under 45. They cite smoking, stress, inactivity, unhealthy diets and conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure as risk factors. Measles Vaccination: Health officials have indefinitely paused a planned campaign for more than 35,000 children displaced by floods in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, saying they cannot locate them. Medical Interns: The government has agreed to put forward a proposal for stipends equal to half the starting eighth-level health-service salary, after intern Dilli Harijan resumed a hunger strike.

Road Safety: Five people, including four students, died and 14 were injured when a school bus crashed in Pokhara. The cause is under investigation. Maternal Care: The government is considering free basic lab tests worth Rs1,845 for women giving birth at participating hospitals. The proposal has not yet been approved; patients currently pay for tests not covered by the free-delivery scheme. Infectious Disease: Scrub typhus has spread to 74 districts, with more than 10,000 infections reported; Salyan recorded 56 new cases in one day. Health Insurance: National ID cards are set to become mandatory for health insurance from mid-December, a change that could affect enrolment and access for people without the required identification.

Flood Recovery: Two volunteers from Malaysia and the Czech Republic brought blankets, medicine and household supplies to Bhotekoshi flood survivors, who could choose what they needed. Health workers are also providing medical support as families begin rebuilding. Mental Health: With World Mental Health Day approaching, advocates say repeated disasters have left survivors carrying deep trauma and call for counselling to be part of recovery. Poison Control: A study of 2,053 fatal pesticide poisonings found that deaths from banned aluminium phosphide tablets remain high, underscoring gaps in enforcement and access to lethal chemicals. Disease Watch: Scrub typhus has spread to 74 districts, with more than 10,000 infections reported; Nepal has also recorded 131 Japanese encephalitis cases this year. Heat and Health: Nepal has joined India, Bangladesh and Bhutan in assessing heat preparedness as El Niño raises the risk of another severe season. Separate research warns that extreme heat can increase pregnancy complications and risks to newborns. Medical Training: Resident doctors at National Medical College, Birgunj, raised concerns about pressure and their learning environment after 24 days of protest.

Poisoning Prevention: A study of 2,053 fatal pesticide poisonings found deaths from aluminium phosphide remain high despite Nepal’s ban on a highly lethal tablet formulation, pointing to continued access to the poison. Extreme Heat: A new assessment maps Nepal’s heat-health risks and preparedness gaps as El Niño raises concerns about another severe season. Women’s Health: A nationwide study documents abuse and violations of women’s rights during pregnancy, childbirth and after birth, including violence at home and poor treatment in health facilities. Air Quality: In a survey of 1,200 Kathmandu Valley residents, 81.2% viewed pollution as a serious health risk, yet most people checking air quality relied on smell, visibility or eye irritation. Eye Care: On World Sight Day, Nepal’s blindness rate was reported at 0.28%, down from 0.84% in 1981, but glaucoma, diabetes-related vision problems and other eye conditions remain concerns. Medical Training: Resident doctors at National Medical College have asked the government to address pressure and poor learning conditions after 24 days of protest.