Mahesh Kumar Maskey
COUNTRY LEAD (Founding Chair and Executive Chief, NPHF)
Mahesh Kumar Maskey, founding chair of Nepal Public Health Foundation, is a prominent public health expert. His work has included perinatal epidemiology, health policy and planning, systems research, and the generation of evidence for the creation of health policy nationally and internationally. In 2006-7, Mahesh designed basic free healthcare services for the Government of Nepal, which continue to be implemented. In 2006-2009, he was Executive Chair of the National Health Research Council, Government of Nepal. Also during this time, he served as Advisor to Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population Amik Sherchan, as Chair of the High Level Health Policy Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health and Population, and as Chair of the South Asian Forum for Health Research. In 2007-2010, Mahesh contributed to the drafting of the Three-Year Interim Health Plan of the Government of Nepal. He has been a member of the World Health Organization’s Advisory Council for Health Research in the South-East Asia region, and served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal to the People’s Republic of China (2012-2016). Mahesh’s original contribution to the field of public health research includes the Motherhood Method, by which data for maternal, perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality is collected from local registries and focus group discussions with pregnant women and mothers, instead of from national surveys, as is traditionally the case. This method has the advantage of measuring these indicators in small areas and short intervals while also contributing to national data, and is hence better suited to the public-health needs of developing countries.
Ms. Deepesha Silpakar
COORDINATOR
Ms. Deepesha Silpakar, a public health professional from Nepal, is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health. With experience with coordinating multiple projects at the Nepal Public Health Foundation, she has been leading collaborative research with Stanford University, contributed to studies on pesticide exposure, and piloted maternal and neonatal health interventions. As Coordinator for The Global Health Network Nepal, she has facilitated research capacity-building and partnerships with global institutions, including TGHN, Oxford and Boston University. Skilled in qualitative and quantitative analysis, project management, and grant proposal writing, her primary interest lies in implementation research focused on Maternal Health and Non-communicable Diseases.
Ms. Dikshya Kafle
CO-COORDINATOR
Ms. Dikshya Kafle is a dedicated public health professional with a strong academic background and practical experience in research and program coordination. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Science at Padmakanya Multiple Campus, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health (BPH) from the Central Institute of Science and Technology (CiST), Kathmandu. Dikshya serves as the Project Coordinator at the Nepal Public Health Foundation. Ms. Kafle is also one of the co-coordinators for The Global Health Network, Nepal Center. Her expertise includes leadership, public speaking, research, proposal write ups, with proficiency in software such as SPSS, Epidata, and STATA. Beyond her professional role, she contributes to public health through voluntary programs in community health diagnosis and motivational activities. Ms. Kafle is committed to expanding her knowledge and skills in public health to make meaningful contributions to both organizational success and community well-being.
Ms. Rijana Maharjan
CO-COORDINATOR
Ms. Rijana Maharjan is a public health professional with a Bachelor's degree in Public Health from Purbanchal University. She works as a Project coordinator at the Nepal Public Health Foundation. She has extensive experience in health research, program management, and stakeholder coordination. She is also the Co-Coordinator of The Global Health Network Nepal, focusing on building research capacity and promoting health initiatives. With skills in data analysis, project management, and community health programs, Rijana is passionate about improving health outcomes and supporting community resilience.