Nepal’s destiny will not be shaped by slogans, but by action. By the strength of our institutions, the boldness of our investments, and the belief we place in our people. Across Nepal, families struggle for reliable, affordable healthcare. In our hills and plains, hospitals are scarce, specialists scarcer still. Meanwhile, our most talented health professionals leave for foreign lands — seeking what Nepal has yet to offer.
The numbers are sobering. Nepal has one doctor for every 3,000 people, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio.In rural districts, this worsens to one doctor per 150,000 people. Last year alone, 86% of newly qualified doctors applied for certificates to work abroad. Our brightest minds — trained here, nurtured here — are leaving. And yet, we speak of health tourism, of becoming a global medical hub.
Health tourism cannot ride on slogans. It rides on systems, standards, and trust. Let us build that first — and the world will follow. And building that foundation starts now — with bold, structural reform:
Declare Nepal’s Premier Health and Technical Institutions as Institutions of National Importance. It is a strategic act that will provide long-term, stable funding — protected from the volatility of annual budgets empowering leadership to attract global experts, drive research, and modernize curricula. This will help expand world-class infrastructure — from cutting-edge labs to advanced hospitals and retain Nepali talent — giving our brightest doctors, scientists, and engineers reasons to stay, innovate, and serve.
Our Neighbours Show the Way. Look no further than India. The declaration of IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS as Institutions of National Importance transformed their academic landscape. The AIIMS in New Delhi ranks among the world’s top medical schools. IIT graduates lead global tech firms, found startups, and contribute billions to their economy. It was leadership backed by law, investment, and vision.
Nepal’s own institutions — IOM Maharajgunj, NAST Satdobato, IOE Pulchowk — have similar pedigree. But without the necessary status and resources, their potential remains shackled. Meanwhile, the cost of neglect is mounting. IoE Pulchowk is drowning in Rs 90 million of debt, forcing a 177% hike in student fees. NAST, designed to be the heart of our scientific progress, spends more on administration than on research — not by choice, but by budgetary starvation. Our healthcare system relies increasingly on foreign training, foreign care, and foreign solutions.
Other nations have shown us the way. Japan rebuilt from the ashes of war by empowering its universities. South Korea became a global technology leader by investing in its research institutions. India unlocked new frontiers of innovation and entrepreneurship by declaring its IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS as Institutions of National Importance. They invested in excellence — and today, they are reaping the rewards of innovation and growth. It is time for Nepal to do the same.
The Return on Investment Some may ask: Can Nepal afford this? Can we afford the alternative? The return on this investment is not measured in rupees alone. It is counted in lives saved, talent retained, and national dignity restored. No nation has kept its brightest minds by underfunding ambition. No country became great by starving its institutions of excellence. And no people earned global respect by exporting their sick and importing their healthcare.
This path demands political will, fiscal discipline, and unwavering resolve. It demands that we, as representatives of the people, rise above partisanship and short-termism. It demands that we invest — not only in infrastructure, but in the future of our doctors, engineers, scientists, and innovators.
History teaches us that greatness follows foresight in education. After World War II, the United States committed over 0.6% of GDP to research — unleashing a wave of technological leadership. Nepal’s current allocation to science and technology remains below 0.4% of GDP, well behind the global average of 1.2%. We cannot afford to lag further behind.
Let us pass the Special Act for Institutions of National Importance. Let us prioritize IOM, NAST, IOE, and their peers. Let us invest in excellence, retain our talent, and restore faith in Nepal’s ability to provide world-class healthcare — first for our own citizens, and then for the world. The world will follow when we lead — with vision, with courage, and with the determination to build a Nepal that believes in itself.