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Nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country positioned between India and China with a population of just under 30 million people. 75 per cent of the country is covered in mountains, with low-lying fertile plains in the south of the country.

While it is a popular tourist destination, Nepal is one of the poorest countries in Asia. About one in ten people live in extreme poverty on less than US$1.90 per day, but a further three in ten people live on very low incomes. Climate-related problems, like earthquakes and floods, increase people’s vulnerability.

There were 2,394 new cases of leprosy diagnosed in 2021, mainly in the south of the country. 126 of these new cases were children.

There are 0.7 doctors per 1,000 people in Nepal, compared to 2.8 per 1,000 in the UK.

We work with The Leprosy Mission Nepal on a range of projects.

Healthcare

Anandaban Hospital opened in 1957 and is based just south of Kathmandu. It provides high quality medical care to around 6,000 people affected by leprosy from across Nepal, plus general medical treatment to a further 25,000 people every year. It has 80 beds allocated to inpatients needing treatment for leprosy reaction, reconstructive surgery and wound care.

Patients and their families also receive counselling to help them overcome the effects of stigma on their mental health and family life. The hospital also provides treatment for outpatients through local clinics in three other locations.

Improving hospital facilities

We’ve recently worked with The Leprosy Mission Nepal on the construction of a new building for Anandaban Hospital that houses an emergency room, operating theatre and maternity ward. The building is designed to be earthquake resistant as well as environmentally friendly and has solar panels and a biogas system for recycling waste to heat water.

Employment opportunities

People affected by leprosy and disability have been supported to lift themselves out of poverty through self-help groups which enable them to save together, microfinance and small business training. They have also received empowerment and advocacy training that has helped combat stigma in communities.

Starting in 2020, a new project will help people find job opportunities by giving them access to support from employment counsellors who will help match them with suitable roles. At the same time, business development officers will work with employers to reduce misconceptions around employing disabled people.

Research

Anandaban Hospital is home to a world-class research centre. In the on-site laboratories, crucial diagnostic tests for leprosy are conducted. This makes sure that patients are quickly and accurately diagnosed. Research also helps the team to advance their understanding of the disease.

Staff there partner with the best in their field to ensure they produce pioneering research. Their partnerships have included: Leiden University Medical Centre (The Netherlands); London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK); and the Department of Health and Human Services National Hansen’s Disease Programs (USA). Studies they are involved in include the development of an early diagnostic test. Work is now beginning on building a state of the art new research centre that will enable staff to make even greater breakthroughs in leprosy treatment.

Read the latest from Nepal

Harini's story

Although she is now cured of leprosy, the effects of the disease on her body mean that Harini struggles with weakness and loss of sensation in her hands and feet. Being less able to carry out everyday tasks like cooking and feeling as if she could not look after her family left Harini feeling miserable. But the chance to join a self-help group in her local area has brought big changes to her life.

Harini is now an active member of the group and has benefited from awareness-raising sessions on topics such as women's rights. She has also completed small business training and is part of the group's goat rearing enterprise. This has been so successful that she is now keen to start her own business and provide a sustainable income for her family.

Harini crop

Achievements in Nepal in 2022

Counselling graphic

636 patients at Anandaban Hospital received mental health counselling

Diagnosis graphic

Over 40,000 people in the community were screened by health workers and female community health volunteers

Hospital graphic for stats

The team at Anandaban Hospital carried out 188 reconstructive surgeries