Prof. Dr. Rita Thapa

Prof. Dr. Rita Thapa, a public health expert with degrees from King George Medical College, Lucknow University (MBBB), and Johns Hopkins University (MPH), has left an incredible mark in Nepal’s healthcare. Prof. Dr. Thapa, Founding Chair Person and Pro-Bono Executive Director of Bhaskar-Tejshree Memorial Foundation is currently engaged in protecting young lives from the deadly NCD risk behaviors like tobacco, including that of gender discrimination and sexual harassment. She is widely known as the visionary and founder of Nepal’s primary health care system, which has been responsible for making Nepal a global leader achieving the ‘15 MDG targets in maternal and child health. She is one of the few people still living who attended the famous 1978 International Conference on Primary Health Care at Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, representing Nepal and signing the Declaration of Alma-Ata, which is now considered the “gold standard” for primary health care programs around the world.

Prof. Dr. Rita Thapa’s career spans more than half a century of distinguished leadership in maternal and child health, primary health care, and community health in Nepal and internationally. Post-retirement, she continued her service to Nepal, playing roles in health policy restructuring, teaching at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, leading societies like Nepal Perinatal Society and Nepal Public Health Foundation, and influencing Kathmandu University.