Dr. Rajendra Kumar BC
Dr. Rajendra Kumar BC is a freelance consultant, currently serving as an executive board member of the
Nepal Public Health Foundation (NPHF) since 2016, visiting professor at the Pokhara University, Nepal
since 2013, and also adjunct faculty/professor [on line] at the Texila American University, South America
since 2024. Dr. Rajendra holds his Ph.D. in Tropical Medicine (Epidemiology) from Mahidol University,
Thailand, and has completed various internationally recognized short courses and research-related
trainings, including research ethics, from reputable institutions worldwide [The Graduate Institute
(Switzerland), International Vaccine Institute (South Korea), Harvard University (USA), The University of
Alabama (USA), Queen Margret University (UK), European Educational Programme in Epidemiology (Italy),
Danish International Development Assistance (Denmark), Health Systems Research Institute (Thailand),
Colombo University (Sri Lanka), Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), Indian Council of Medical Research
(India), etc.]
He has a long-standing association with the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC), where he served in
multiple capacities: as a Research Officer from 1996 to 2004, Chief Research Officer from 2005 to 2007, and
later as a part-time Research Advisor in 2010-2012, 2014, and 2018. He also contributed as a Consultant
from 2019 to 2020 and in 2022 and also currently in 2025. Beyond the NHRC, he has worked with key
national agencies, such as the National Planning Commission (NPC) and the Policy Research Institute (PRI),
as well as international organizations, including UN agencies, the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), and
the European Union (EU). In 2013, Dr. Rajendra served as the Nepali Lead Researcher for the renowned
Xtreme-Everest 2 project, which gained international attention and was featured in a four-episode series
on Al Jazeera TV titled “CURE.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a national consultant for
NHSSP/Options/UKAid, preparing periodic epidemiological analytical briefs on Nepal's COVID-19 status
and response. He played a crucial role in shaping research ethics in Nepal, contributing to the development
of national ethical guidelines for health research from 2001 to 2024 and creating a research ethics training
curriculum in 2014.
Dr. Rajendra has a passion for teaching and has frequently engaged in academia, instructing research
methodology in number of medical and public health institutions, and supervising variety of PhD level
students from various universities [University of Cambridge (UK), University of Aberdeen (UK), University of
Liverpool (UK), Texila American University (South America); Jaipur National University (India), Singhania
University (India), and BRAC University (Bangladesh) and Tribhuvan University (Nepal)].
With over 25 years of experience in health, nutrition, biomedical research, and ethics, he has led numerous
research projects both domestically and internationally. His expertise spans a wide range of advisory,
supervisory, and coordinating roles across health, nutrition, and biomedical research.
He has served as a national consultant for high-profile health research initiatives. His contributions to
national health strategies include involvement in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as leadership in major national projects like the National
Micronutrient Survey (2015-2017), the Multi-Sectoral Nutritional Plan (2022-2023), and Epidemic Crisis
Management (2024). He has already published number of research based articles, national level documents
(including research ethics, policy, plans, guidelines, policy briefs and modules) and proceedings reports.
PUBLICATIONS
- Assessment of quality of essential medicines in public health care facilities of Nepal: Findings of nationwide study, PLOS Global Public Health (2023) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001841
- Factors Associated with Inflammation in Preschool Children and Women of Reproductive Age in Nepal, Journal of Health and Environmental Research (2022) doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20220802.12
- Status of Sickle Cell Disease among Tharu Population in Banke district of Nepal, International Journal of Life Science and Pharma Research (2021) doi: 10.22376/ijpbs/Ipr.2021.11.5.L88-93
- National Level Preparedness for Implementing the Health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Seven South Asian Countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Global Policy (2019) doi: 10.1111/1758-5899.12753
- Effects of Disasters on Primary Health Care in Low Income Countries”, Journal of Nepal Health Research Council (Indexed/Medline), 2019, January-March, 17(42), 1-8
- Mid Term Review of EU – UNICEF ‘Partnership for Improved Nutrition’ / (‘Poshanka lagi hatemalo’) in Nepal (December 2018)
- Pilot Study of National Mental Health Survey, Nepal published by Nepal Health Research Council, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu, Nepal (September 2018) http://nhrc.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Pilot-national-mental-health.pdf
- Nepal National Micro-nutrition Status Survey Report 2016 published by Government of Nepal, UNICEF, UN House, Pulchowk, Lalitpur (August 2018) https://www.unicef.org/nepal/reports/nepal-national-micronutrient-status-survey-report-2016
- Thrifty phenotype versus cold adaptation: trade-offs in upper limb proportions of Himalayan populations of Nepal, Royal Society Open Science (Indexed/Medline), June 2018
- Policy research institutions and the health SDGs: building momentum in South Asia – country report, Nepal (2017) https://www.idrc.ca/en/project/policy-research-institutions-and-health-sdgs-building-momentum-south-asia