Dr. MAHESH K. MASKEY

Current designation: Founding chair and executive chief

Dr. Mahesh Kumar Maskey is a prominent public health expert. He is the Founding chair and executive chief of Nepal Public Health Foundation. His focus and expertise includes perinatal epidemiology, health policy and planning, health systems research and the generation of evidence for health policy formulation on a national and international level. Dr. Maskey holds an MBBS Degree from India, an MPH from the UK, and a D.Sc. from the USA. He is a published author and had presented papers in many regional and international conferences. During 2007 to 2010, he contributed in the drafting of Three year interim health plan of Government of Nepal. In 2006, he designed targeted free health care services in district hospitals and primary health care centres, and Universal free health care services in sub health post and health post level in Nepal. He has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal to People’s Republic of China (2012- 2016).

 Work Experiences:

• Executive Chair, Nepal Health Research Council, Government of Nepal, Nepal 2006-2009
•  Chief Advisor, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Nepal, Mr. Amik Serchan (2006-2007).
• Chair, South Asian Forum for Health Research, Nepal, 2007-2009
•  Member of Advisory Committee for Health Research (ACHR), WHO, SEARO (2007-9)
•  Executive vice Chair, New Health Policy Drafting Committee, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal, 2017

Prof. Dr. Lochana Shrestha

Current designation President

Prof. Dr. Lochana Shrestha is a proactive Preventive Medicine Medical Graduate with over 25 years of experience in Preventive Medicine, Public Health, International Health, and Geriatric Health. Alongside her involvement in medical academia, she has worked on health project management and various international health issues such as TB, HIV/AIDS, Geriatric, and Child Health. She possesses technical expertise in project development, management, monitoring, and supervision, as well as the creation of technical documents and guidelines pertaining to health matters. Dr. Shrestha extensive experience includes significant work in the field of HIV/AIDS and TB at both national and international levels. Furthermore, she has dedicated herself to improve Geriatric Healthcare, aiming to alleviate the suffering experienced by elderly individuals at the end of life due to a lack of adequate healthcare services.

Qualification: MBBS, MD Community Medicine (India), MIPH (Sydney, Australia), Fellow in Geriatrics (India)

 Current Position:

• Professor and Head of Department of Community Medicine in National Army Institute of Health and Science (NAIHS), Kathmandu Since November 2011.
• Chairman (Medical Director) of Health Home Care Nepal (Residential Elderly Care Home), Sanepa, Lalitpur since March 2012.
• Director Planning Research and Development Department, NAIHS, 2021
• Member, Ethical Review board, Nepal Health research Council (NHRC)
• Hon. Member of Council of UN International Institute on Aging, Malta/ILC-I Satellite Center for SAARC region
• President of Nepal Public Health Foundation (NPHF) Sept 2023
• Past President of Nepalese Society of Community Medicine (NESCOM)
• Board Member of Alzheimer And Related Dementia Society  (ARDS)
• Member of Medical Education Council

Dr. Sameer Mani Dixit

Current Designation: Vice-President

Dr. Sameer Mani Dixit is a biomedical research scientist working in the public health sector of Nepal, focusing on infectious diseases. His postgraduate and Doctorate degrees are in Immunology and Recombinant DNA technology from Australia. His experience in public health research is over 15 years and over 20 years in basic/applied science. He has been actively involved in various forms of academic and programmatic research of public health importance- usually as Team Leader/ Principle Investigator. His work experience has allowed him to develop working relationships with various national and international organizations. His strength is in planning and implementing field and laboratory based (biomedical) research in infectious diseases of public health importance in developing countries.

Prof. Dr. Abhinav Vaidya

Current Designation: General Secretary

Prof. Dr. Abhinav Vaidya, MD PhD is currently the Member Secretary of Nepal Public Health Foundation. He is Professor of Community Medicine at Kathmandu Medical College, Nepal. He is a member of the International Society of Hypertension, and a life member of World NCDs Federation. He is Vice-President of the Nepal NCD Alliance and a Governing Board Member of the Southeast Asia Region NCD Alliance. He holds Bachelor’s degree in medicine from Bangladesh (2000), MD in Community Medicine from BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Nepal (2006), and PhD in Medical Sciences from Gothenburg University, Sweden (2014). He is a leading academician, researcher, and policy-influencer on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nepal. He contributed to Nepal’s Multisectoral Action Plan for prevention and control of NCDs, WHO STEPs surveys in Nepal, and NCD PEN Package implementation. He has published more than 70+ peer-reviewed papers. He also enjoys writing on cardiovascular health for the public.

Dr. Rajendra Kumar BC

Current Designation: Treasurer

Dr. Rajendra Kumar BC holds Master's Degree in Nutritional Biochemistry from MS University of Baroda, India, and PhD degree in Tropical Medicine from Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand in the year 2003. He has a long history of working (24 years) in the variety of health, nutrition and development sectors. He is an experienced professional with a particularly strong expertise in health research methods along with data management and analysis (quantitative as well as qualitative). Previously he is the one who extensively worked on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for health and nutrition sectors and also on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for overall sectors with the support from National Planning Commission (NPC)/UNDP. He has also been involved in assessing "national level preparedness for implementing the health-related SDGs in seven south Asian countries". His work on MDGs and SDGs has been acknowledged in the various publications made by NPC.

Dr. Raba Thapa

Current Designation: Member

Dr. Raba Thapa MD, PhD is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), and a consultant vitreo-retinal surgeon at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TIO), Kathmandu, Nepal. Currently, she is working as a head of vitreo-retina department and chief of research department at TIO. She completed her MBBS from Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicine in 2000 AD, MD Ophthalmology from Institute of Medicine, B P Koirala Lions Center for Ophthalmic Studies in 2005 AD and Medical and Surgical Vitreo-retinal Fellowship from John A Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, USA, in 2009 AD. She did her Ph.D from Vrije University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 2018 AD and post- doctoral research fellowship in retinal diseases from John A Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, USA in 2022 AD. She has published over 60 articles in many peer reviewed journals, working as a reviewer of over 15 scientific journals and editor of Journal of Nepal Health Research Council. Her field of interest is research on diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, other retinal diseases including public health important eye and health problems. She has received Nepal Vidhya Bhusan KA by president of Nepal and Nabil Science and Technology Award 2019 by Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Government of Nepal. She was awarded with the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Collaborative Research Fellowship Award, 2022 by ARVO Foundation, USA, Best Oral Paper Award in 8th National Summit of Health and Population Scientist in Nepal, April 10 to 12th 2022, organized by Government of Nepal, Nepal Health Research Council, and Early Carrier Research Award by Thrasher Research Fund, Utah, USA, 2020.

Dr. Madhur Basnet

Current Designation: Member

Dr. Madhur Basnet, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, is actively involved in groundbreaking research on collaborative care models for mental health in low-resource settings. With over five years of experience, he is dedicated to integrating mental health into primary care settings in Nepal. Dr. Basnet has done MD(Psychiatry) from B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal,2013 and hold MBBS degree B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan,Nepal,2009. His research interests span community psychiatry, implementation research in mental health, integration of mental health in primary care, and psychosomatic medicine. Dr. Basnet is not only a respected academic but also a dynamic leader who has led health politics movements in Nepal and contributed to policy-making, including the drafting of the National Mental Health Program 2022. Formerly serving as the assistant dean of examinations at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, he has also worked as a Mental Health Officer at the World Health Organization Country Office in Nepal. He is driven by his passion for environmental protection and nature conservation.

Dr. Jitendra Pariyar

Current Designation: Member

Dr. Jitendra pariyar completed his Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Obstetrics and Gynaecology passed in June 2006 from Tribhuvan University (TU), Institute of Medicine (IOM), Kathmandu, Nepal. Currently, he is the Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Civil Service Hospital of Nepal, Minbhawan, Kathmandu, since March, 2022, Specialist Gynecologist Oncologist in the Department from June 2014 till present and Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology of National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), Kathmandu, Nepal from December 2022 till present. He is also a Supervisor for MD Obs-Gynecology Residents. Associate Professor from August 2014 till December 2021.

 Experiences:

• Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Civil Service Hospital of Nepal, Minbhawan, Kathmandu, since March, 2022; Specialist Gynecologist Oncologist in the Department from June 2014 till present.
• Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology of National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), Kathmandu, Nepal from December 2022 till present. Supervisor for MD Obs-Gynecology Residents. Associate Professor from August 2014 till December 2021.
• Local Supervisor for Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship - Global Curriculum and Mentorship Program of International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS) Nepal site from 2019 till present.

Dr. Aruna Uprety

Current Designation: Member

Dr. Aruna Uprety is a public health specialist, women's rights activist, and a strong advocate of healthy eating habits and lifestyles. She is also a Former President of Nepal Public Health Foundation. Dr. Uprety is the founder of Rural Health and Education Services Trust (R.H.E.S.T), which works to prevent trafficking and improve reproductive health, and one of the leading voices against 'Chhaupadi' in the Accham District. She holds MBBS degree from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, India; and Master's in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh, USA. She received her master’s degree in Arts from the Women and Development Institute of Social Studies the Hague, The Netherlands. She did her M.D from Kharkiv State Medical Institute Ukraine (Former Soviet Union). She has worked with the Ministry of Health for about 8 years on maternity hospital and family planning projects. Her close hands-on experience in the maternity ward inspired her desire to advocate for women’s rights and health.

Dr. Uprety was involved with many different Non-governmental organizations, which allowed her to travel to different Nepalese regions. She also worked in Afghanistan, Iran, India, Laos, China, Sri Lanka, Sudan as a public health specialist and gained experience. She learned about problems associated with malnutrition among children and its reasons while working in rural areas of Nepal. She had conducted research on reasons for malnutrition and advocated on how to reduce this. She learned about local food, health, cultural practice, and its importance for healthy living. She has written many articles on this issue and has presented her ideas in many national and international seminars.

Dr. Karuna Onta

Current Designation: Member

Dr. Karuna Onta is a social development advisor at the Department for International Development, Nepal Office. Dr. Karuna currently sits on the board of Nepal Public Health Foundation and is a member of Network of Nepalese Psychologists. She received her PhD degree in Social Psychology from Leningrad State University, USSR Development Program Specialist with over fifteen years of experience in the South Asia Region (Nepal, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh) on broad range of women’s human rights, women’s empowerment, gender equality, reproductive health/nutrition, psychosocial well-being, social norms, behavior change communication, social inclusion, protection related areas and water, sanitation and hygiene. She was Co-lead adviser for the Integrated Program for Strengthening Security and Justice in Nepal (this requires working with multiple ministries such as Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare, Ministry of Law and Justice and a range of stakeholders from the government and civil society organization). Her Focus is on providing support to women and girls to effectively prevent and respond to gender based violence. She has worked with the Women and Children Service Directorate/Department of Police for legal and protection support to women and girls facing gender-based violence. She was also a Lead advisor for the Paralegal Committee Project till July 2014.

Dr. onta has experience of nearly three decades working in the field of development in Nepal, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Vietnam. She worked in the UNICEF Regional Office of South Asia developing Behaviour Change Communication Strategy on promotion of maternal and child health nutrition in the region.