Archives: Team

Dr. Ram Adhar Yadav is the Executive Director of National Ayurveda Research and Training Center (NARTC), Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal.  He is a renowned expert of Ayurveda Shalya Tantra in Nepal. He is also a pioneer and promoter expertise in Ksharsutra treatment. He holds M.D. (Shalya), Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, A.P. INDIA and B.A.M.S from Delhi University, Delhi, INDIA, N.D.D.Y. from International Foundation of Natural Health &Yoga, Delhi. He has been involved in many research activities in the field of Ayurveda and in training activities to enhance the skill of Ayurveda manpower. He has also written books in Shalya Tantra. He has been awarded Suprabal Janasewa Shree (Tritiya) Award III by the Government of Nepal, the best Ayurveda Surgeon of Nepal by Ayurveda Medical Development and Research Foundation (AMDRF) and Shikhar Nepal Shikhar Barsa Byatitwa Samman for the year 2022 A.D. He has attended many national and international conferences and presented numerous papers.

Research and Article

• Excellence of Ksharsutra for Management of Fistula in Ano over various treatment available in Modern Surgery; JADAN, a Journal of Ayurvedic Doctors Association of Nepal, June
• Obesity (Sthoulya) – A Scientific Appraisal; Ayurveda – Sambardhan, a magazine published by TUTA, Ayurveda Campus Unit, Oct.
• Management of Hyperlipidemia by Ayurvedic Compound; Ayur-info, Ayurveda Campus, Kirtipur, July
• Principle of Ksharsutra application, JPGADSON (Journal of post Graduate  Ayurveda Doctors’ Society of Nepal, 2010.
• Difficulty encounter in obese patients for the management of Fistula in Ano by Ksharsutra; Ayur-info, Ayurveda Campus, Kirtipur. July
• Management of Fistula in Ano; Medical Darpan 2011.
• Contra-indication of Ksharsutra Application.
• Management of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia by Shilajatwadi Compound
• Management of BPH by indigenous drugs; AYUR VISION, Graduation Issue, Journal of Nepal Ayurveda Medical Students Society, 2011.
• Scientific Approach of Parikartika (Fissure-in Ano) and its management; JADAN, Journal of Ayurveda Doctors Association of Nepal, 2011.

Dr. Hemav Raj Bhandari is a Head of Department/Full time Consultant-Neurosurgeon in the Department of Neurosurgery, Kathmandu Model Hospital and also working as part time Consultant Neurosurgeon in Bluecross Hospital, Kathmandu Hospital and Grande City Hospital. He holds a Master of Neurosurgery (M.S.), Zhengzhou University, College of Medicine Zhengzhou, China, 2006 and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Yeungnam University, College of Medicine Taegu, South Korea, 1999 MS in Neurosurgery. He serves as a Consultant Neurosurgeon. Dr. Bhandari has been actively working in the field of medicine since 20 years. He also has long experience in working in the field of seizure treatment and has managed and worked for Nepal Epilepsy Association. He has actively participated in the free health camps and epilepsy camps organized by different hospitals and Nepal Epilepsy Association. Has long experience of working as a trainer for the health professionals dealing with epilepsy in rural parts of the country.

Major publications:

1. Epilepsy field workers, a smartphone application and telephone telemedicine: Safe and effective epilepsy care in rural Nepal https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30562653/
2. Comorbid depression and its associated factors in patients with epilepsy treated with single and multiple drug therapy: A cross-sectional study from Himalayan country https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1525505020306351
3. A Phone App to Diagnose Epileptic Seizures: A Useful Tool to Reduce the Epilepsy Treatment Gap in Poorer Countries https://n.neurology.org/content/82/10_Supplement/I10-1.009
4. Validation of a Phone App for Epilepsy Diagnosis in India and Nepal https://www.academia.edu/18085053/Validation_of_a_Phone_App_for_Epilepsy_Diagnosis_in_India_and_Nepal
5. Epilepsy field workers and telephone telemedicine: High patient satisfaction for a novel epilepsy service https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321470113_Epilepsy_field_workers_and_telephone_telemedicine_High_patient_satisfaction_for_a_novel_epilepsy_service
6. Predictors of Unfavorable Seizure Outcome in Patients with Epilepsy in Nepal https://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=getRecordDetail&idt=22327755

Dr. Madhur Basnet, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, is actively involved in groundbreaking research on collaborative care models for mental health in low-resource settings. With over five years of experience, he is dedicated to integrating mental health into primary care settings in Nepal. Dr. Basnet has done MD(Psychiatry) from B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal,2013 and hold MBBS degree B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan,Nepal,2009. His research interests span community psychiatry, implementation research in mental health, integration of mental health in primary care, and psychosomatic medicine. Dr. Basnet is not only a respected academic but also a dynamic leader who has led health politics movements in Nepal and contributed to policy-making, including the drafting of the National Mental Health Program 2022. Formerly serving as the assistant dean of examinations at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, he has also worked as a Mental Health Officer at the World Health Organization Country Office in Nepal. He is driven by his passion for environmental protection and nature conservation.

Major Publications:

1. Dementia care landscape in Nepal: current situation and challenges for the development of a national dementia care plan.
2. Family Caregiver experience of caring COVID-19 patients admitted in COVID hospital of B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal
3. Wernicke’s encephalopathy: a case report
4. Caregiving Stress among Caregivers of Patients admitted with Suicidal Attempt
5. Non-psychiatric Referral among First Encounter Patients Attending the Psychiatry Outpatient Services of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study
6. Collaborative care model for depression in rural Nepal: a mixed-methods implementation research study
7. Detection of Carbamazepine Level among Patients Visiting Psychiatric and Pediatric Services of a Tertiary Hospital in Eastern Nepal
8. Mental health education in undergraduate medical curricula across Nepalese universities
9. Personality Traits among Psychiatric Out-patients with Suicide Attempt Attending Tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern Nepal
10. Attitude Towards Suicide among Caregivers of Patients Admitted with Suicide Attempt in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Dr. Puspa Sharma is a professor and chair of department of psychiatric in KIST Medical College. He holds Master of Degree (MD), Psychiatry Residency program from Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research and Master of Degree (MD), Medicine from Volgograd state of Medical University.

Major publications:

1. Psychiatric Morbidity Patterns in Referred Inpatients of Other Specialties
2. Study of Psychiatric illnesses among the Patients admitted for Self-poisoning in a Tertiary Care Hospital
3. Attitude toward Mental Illness and Psychiatry among the Medical Students and Interns in a Medical College
4. “Psychiatric morbidity patterns in referred in -patients of other specialties: a hospital based study”

Prof. Dr. Jagdish Prasad Agrawal is a well-known name in neurology and Nepal’s health professions education sector. Prof. Agrawal has served as the Dean of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Before taking up this challenging position, Prof. Agrawal had worked in key positions in various departments, like Internal Medicine and National Centre for Health Professions Education. Professor Agrawal has a longstanding interest in health professions education with special interest in communication skills and medical ethics and is a strong proponent of curriculum reform in medicine. He holds a Master’s degree in Health Professions Education from University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. Prof. Agrawal is the recipient of numerous decorations and medals, including the Suprabal Jansewa Shree. Prof. Agrawal is dedicated to upgrading the quality of health education.

 Publications:

1. Study of vitamin B12 status and the consequential clinico-hematological profile in healthy vegetarian population in Nepal
2. A study on elevation of troponin I in ischemic stroke as an independent prognostic marker of outcomes
3. Role of Mentzer Index for Differential Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anaemia and Beta Thalassemia Trait
4. Evaluation of Training Workshop on Objective Structured Practical Examination and Objective Structured Clinical Examination conducted for Faculties of BAMS Course in Tribhuvan University of Nepal
5. Clinical Profile of Patients with Epilepsy in Tertiary Care Hospital in Nepal.
6. Assessment of interpersonal communication skills of intern doctors

Ms. Sarmila ( Dahal) Paudel is the Community nursing administrator and  section chief, geriatric and gender based violence section, DOHS, Teku. She holds M.sc. nursing ( community Health Nursing), Nursing Education from B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan.

Major publications:

1. Barriers in service provision and service seeking regarding chbc for people living with hiv/aids in pokhara, nepal

Mr. Ganesh Bhandari serves as a project officer at the Center for Mental Health and Counselling Nepal (CMC Nepal). He brings a wealth of experience from various roles, including work as a consultant in data management at FHI-360, field coordination in the Nepalese Army Institute of Health Science-College of Medicine, and positions in research and monitoring in organizations like Nepal Health Research Council and HERD. His academic background includes a bachelor’s and masters in public health focusing on health promotion and education from Pokhara University.

Major publications:

1. Assessment of Nutritional Status and Associated Factors among Tharu Students of Primary School in Kanchanpur District, Nepal.
2. Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression, and Perceived Stigma in Healthcare Workers in Nepal During Later Phase of the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.
3. Socio-psychological Study of COVID–19 Pandemic among Healthcare Workers in a Medical College of Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.
4. Stress among Resident Doctors Working in Different Hospitals of Nepal in the Face of COVID19 Pandemic A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.
5. Factors Among Military Personnel of Nepali Army in Selected Military Barracks of Nepal.
6. Maternal Health Services Utilization in Panchkhal Municipality, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal
7. Under review ” Social media based health education to change adolescents intention for promoting Sexual health behavior: A prospective interventional study”
8. Under review “ Post-Discharge Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients in Kathmandu’s Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Follow-up Study”

Dr. Nidesh Sapkota, currently heading the Psychiatry department at Patan Academy of Health Sciences, has a 25-year career in health, with a focused 16 years in mental health. He previously led the Psychiatry department at BPKIHS for three years. His extensive experience includes over 10 years as a consultant psychiatrist for UNHCR, serving in various roles including Vice President and President at ARDSN, Chair of Quality Control Unit at BPKIHS, and participation in health professional education. He was also involved as a member of the Geriatric Expert Committee of Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission and holds membership in the Rotary Club of Dharan Ghopa. Involved in various scientific events at BPKIHS, chaired workshops, organized conferences, and managed medical education programs from 2016 to February 2021. Educational background includes MBBS from RIMS, Ranchi, MD from BPKIHS, and a Mini Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry from the USA.

Major publications

1. Depression among inmates in a regional prison of eastern Nepal: a cross-sectional study
2. Length of Stay of Psychiatric Admissions in a Tertiary Care Hospital
3. COVID-19 Pandemic and BPKIHS: our Situation, Endeavors and Future Direction
4. A Study on Pregnancy, Perceived Stress and Depression
5. Psychiatric Comorbidities in Patients with Deliberate Self-Harm in a Tertiary Care Center

Prof. Dr. Lochana Shrestha is a proactive Preventive Medicine Medical Graduate with over 25 years of experience in Preventive Medicine, Public Health, International Health, and Geriatric Health. Alongside her involvement in medical academia, she has worked on health project management and various international health issues such as TB, HIV/AIDS, Geriatric, and Child Health. She possesses technical expertise in project development, management, monitoring, and supervision, as well as the creation of technical documents and guidelines pertaining to health matters. Dr. Shrestha extensive experience includes significant work in the field of HIV/AIDS and TB at both national and international levels. Furthermore, she has dedicated herself to improve Geriatric Healthcare, aiming to alleviate the suffering experienced by elderly individuals at the end of life due to a lack of adequate healthcare services.

Qualification: MBBS, MD Community Medicine (India), MIPH (Sydney, Australia), Fellow in Geriatrics (India)

Current Position:

• Professor and Head of Department of Community Medicine in National Army Institute of Health and Science (NAIHS), Kathmandu Since November 2011.
• Chairman (Medical Director) of Health Home Care Nepal (Residential Elderly Care Home), Sanepa, Lalitpur since March 2012.
• Director Planning Research and Development Department, NAIHS, 2021
• Member, Ethical Review board, Nepal Health research Council (NHRC)

• Member of Council of UN International Institute on Aging, Malta/ILC-I Satellite Center for SAARC region
• President of Nepal Public Health Foundation (NPHF) Sept 2023
• Past President of Nepalese Society of Community Medicine (NESCOM)
• Board Member of Alzheimer And Related Dementia Society (ARDS)
• Member of Medical Education Council

Major Publications:

1. Prevalence of Hypertension and its Associated Risk Factors among Military Personnel of Nepali Army in Selected Military Barracks of Nepal
2. Plasma Vitamin B-12 Levels and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Case-Control Study
3. Prevalence of Anemia in Adolescent Girls attending Specific Schools of Kavrepalanchok, Nepal JNMA I VOL 59 I ISSUE 234
4. Nutrition and Health Status Assessment of Geriatric People of One Rural District in Nepal
5. Motivational Profiles of Medical Students of Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences
6. Community Health Profile of Four VDCs of North-West Part of Kathmandu
7. Geriatric health in Nepal: concerns and experience
8. Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) study on diabetes mellitus among Nepalese diabetic patients
9. Health Status Of School Children Of Pokhara Valley, Nepal

Prevalence Of Streptococcal Pharyngitis Among School Children Of Pokhara Valley, Nepal

Dr. Thapaliya is an Infectious Diseases Physician at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH). Besides routine ID patient care and running the ART clinic at TUTH, he has also worked as a consultant for the development of various national guidelines and protocols including National Antimicrobial Treatment Guidelines 2023 and Post COVID-19 Management Protocol. He is also a national trainer for clinical management of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C and Infection Prevention and Control. For his diligence as a frontline care-provider and pivotal role as COVID Focal person, he was awarded with the COVID-19 Distinguished Award by Barbara Foundation in 2021.

His field of interest for both clinical care and research include HIV and opportunistic infections, tuberculosis, fungal infections, parasitic infections, and infections in the immunocompromised host. Considering the bulk of infectious diseases patients under his care, Dr. Thapaliya is open for collaborative research in various infectious diseases including tuberculosis.

Publications:

1. Use of Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor among patients of chronic liver disease in a tertiary hospital in Nepal: a pilot study. MJSBH. 2019;18(2):53-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/mjsbh.v18i2.23038
2. Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C among HIV Infected Patients in Nepal over 1990-2020. Kathmandu Univ Med J. Online First
3. New-onset diabetes in COVID-19 and clinical outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Virol2021; 10(5): 275-287 [DOI: 5501/wjv.v10.i5.275]
4. Challenges and Complexities of Providing Emergency Medical Services During Covid-19 Pandemic in Nepal. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 38(S1), S172-S173. doi:10.1017/S1049023X23004478
5. Extraintestinal Clostridium difficile infection: Scrotal abscess. Anaerobe. 2020;61:102147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2019.102147
6. EDTA-dependent pseudo thrombocytopenia mimicking dengue fever-associated persistent thrombocytopenia: A case report. Clin Case Rep. 2021; 9:e04999. https://doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.4999
7. A Case Report on Deliberate Self-poisoning with Imidacloprid in a Young Female – Overview of a Newer Insecticide Poisoning. Journal of Institute of Medicine Nepal. 2021 Apr; 43(1): 60-62
8. A Case Report on Scalp edema in a case of HSP in a young adult. Journal of Advances in Internal Medicine, 8(2), 35-37. https://doi.org/10.3126/jaim.v8i2.28006
9. Socio-demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Ulcerative Colitis at a Tertiary Care Centre in Nepal. Journal of Advances in Internal Medicine, 8(2), 26-29. https://doi.org/10.3126/jaim.v8i2.28003
10. Prevalence of Covert Hepatic Encephalopathy in A Tertiary Care Centre . Journal of Nepal Medical Association, 58(221). https://doi.org/10.31729/jnma.4809

Dr Abhilasha Karkey, an Associate Professor of Oxford University and Director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit Nepal (OUCRUNP), is a medical microbiologist and has worked with OUCRUNP since 2008. She has a DPhil from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Medical Microbiology from the University of Liverpool. Dr. Karkey has over a decade of experience working with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) often in very difficult conflict areas. Through OUCRUNP, she utilizes her expertise and experience in helping to build a strong and critical scientific community in Nepal. Dr. Karkey’s current research focuses on antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative pathogens (Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter spp) with a specific focus on the enteric pathogens Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A. She leads research studies focusing on the surveillance of resistant pathogens and works in close collaboration with hospitals to devise appropriate antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and infection prevention-control (IPC) programs.

Publications:

1. Empagliflozin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial
2. Global diversity and antimicrobial resistance of typhoid fever pathogens: Insights from a meta-analysis of 13,000 Salmonella Typhi genomes
3. Clinical and laboratory factors associated with neonatal sepsis mortality at a major Vietnamese children’s hospital
4. ACORN (A Clinically-Oriented Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network) II: protocol for case based antimicrobial resistance surveillance
5. Direct inference and control of genetic population structure from RNA sequencing data
6. The identification of enteric fever-specific antigens for population based serosurveillance
7. Higher dose corticosteroids in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 who are hypoxic but not requiring ventilatory support (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial
8. Global diversity and antimicrobial resistance of typhoid fever pathogens: Insights from a meta-analysis of 13,000 Salmonella Typhi genomes
9. Genomic epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance transmission of Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A at three urban sites in Africa and Asia
10. Perspectives of pharmacy employees on an inappropriate use of antimicrobials in Kathmandu, Nepal
11. Use of antimicrobials during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study among stakeholders in Nepal

Dr. Janak Koiral is a professor of medicine and infectious disease at Patan academy of Health Sciences and clinical research consultant at Nepal Health Research Council. Additionally, he serves as professor in Emeritus and former division Chief of infectious diseases at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. With over 2 decades of experience in clinical research, he has authored over 600 peer reviews, has scientific Publication in International Journal and also presented on several national and international forums. He has led multiple study in Nepal as Country PI including WHO solidarity plus child for treatment of COVID-19. Dr. Koirala is fellow of American College of Physician and a fellow of Infectious Disease Society of America. He currently serves as executive member of the Global Health Community of Infectious Disease, Society of America.

Publications:

1. Disseminated Cysticercosis with Tongue Involvement: A Rare Case Report from Nepal Authors
2. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Mortality and its Associated Factors in Nepal – A Cross-sectional Study
3. Open Forum Infectious Diseases Experience of Treating COVID-19 With Remdesivir and Convalescent Plasma in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Prospective, Observational Study
4. Case Report: Intrahepatic cholestasis: a diagnostic dilemma
5. 1779. An Assessment of Antibiotic Treatment Guideline Adherence for Common Infections in a Tertiary Care Hospital with an Established Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Kathmandu, Nepal
6. Efficacy of Favipiravir in treatment of mild & moderate COVID-19 infection in Nepal: a multi-center, randomized, open-labelled, phase III clinical trial
7. Nepal Paediatric Society Guideline for use of Antibiotics in Critically ill Children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
8. Experience of Treating COVID-19 With Remdesivir and Convalescent Plasma in a Resource-Limited Setting: A Prospective, Observational Study
9. Treatment of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients with Remdesivir, Convalescent Plasma or Both in a Resource Limited Setting: A Prospective Study