Govt appoints Dr Jagdish Prasad Agrawal as health advisor to PM Shah

KATHMANDU: The government has appointed senior medical expert and educationist Jagdish Prasad Agrawal as the honorary health advisor to Prime Minister Balen Shah.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Tuesday decided to appoint Dr Agrawal to the post. He is a former dean of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) under Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine.

In his advisory role, Dr Agrawal will provide recommendations to the Prime Minister on national health policy, public health challenges, and reforms in medical education.

According to Prime Minister’s press and research advisor Deepa Dahal, the appointment is expected to strengthen technical support for improving the country’s health system.

She said Dr Agrawal’s long experience and leadership in a prestigious institution like IOM would be valuable in shaping evidence-based policy decisions.

The Prime Minister has prioritized public health as a key agenda of his tenure, and the appointment is being seen as significant in that context.

Dr Agrawal will serve on an unpaid basis, offering expert advice without receiving any salary or financial benefits from the state.