KATHMANDU: Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel has briefed the international community on Nepal’s ongoing digital health initiatives at a United Nations regional ministerial conference held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Addressing the conference on behalf of Nepal, Minister Paudel emphasized the country’s efforts to integrate fragmented health data systems through policy-level reforms.
He noted that Nepal has begun linking demographic details with the national identity card system, which will soon also incorporate health-related information for a more unified and accessible health database.
“In the absence of integrated data, policymaking has been a challenge. We expect this gap to be addressed soon,” said Paudel, adding that inter-ministerial cooperation on digital health will be expanded further.
During a meeting with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary for the UN’s Asia-Pacific region, Minister Paudel highlighted the technical challenges Nepal faces in digital transformation and expressed hope for institutional collaboration and support.
He also pointed out Nepal’s efforts to make civil registration more inclusive and effective, stressing that the country is working toward this goal with a strong sense of urgency.
Nepal’s Joint Secretary Dhundiraj Niraula, also part of the delegation, said Nepal’s initiatives received positive feedback from regional partners, boosting morale for further progress.
He noted that the Ministry is currently working on a new national population policy, where digital systems will play a key role.
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