KATHMANDU: A state-of-the-art Trauma and Emergency Centre is set to be constructed in Dhulikhel Municipality-6, Kavrepalanchowk, following an agreement between Dhulikhel Hospital and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), initiated by the Government of Nepal.
The Japanese government has pledged an additional 573 million Japanese Yen (approx. USD 3.6 million) in grant assistance for the Trauma & Emergency Centre Improvement Project. This supplements an earlier commitment of up to 3.29 billion Japanese Yen signed in 2023.
The latest grant agreement was formalized on May 16 at the Ministry of Finance in Kathmandu, where Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Ikuina Akiko signed the official documents.
According to the Japanese Embassy in Nepal, the additional funds were necessary due to rising inflation and cost overruns. The Embassy also cited increasing demand for emergency healthcare—spurred by rising cases of stroke and heart disease, as well as expanding road networks and traffic accidents—as key drivers behind the project.
The final agreement for the 100-bed trauma centre marks the fifth phase of the ongoing partnership between Nepal and Japan in healthcare infrastructure development.
Officials say the facility will help alleviate Nepal’s shortage of hospital beds and modern medical equipment, particularly in critical care. It is expected to enhance emergency response capabilities, improve healthcare quality, and support Nepal’s broader economic development goals.
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