356032840_640979254724684_6045939882567905625_n

President's Message

Shreedhar Paudel, MD, MPH

The world is full of humble, caring and smart people. However, inequity, injustice and disparity also exist in the world. Until and unless a fair system is established and maintained in each and every state, the healthcare disparity will exist in the world. I believe that the passionate and humanitarian citizens around the world should be united and come forward advocating equity and justice in health care. Dream, hope, passion and volunteerism in improving the health of marginalized, neglected and disenfranchised people of any scale will have huge impacts in the lives of people in dire need. Even if we can have positive impacts on the health of a single person, that will be able to create momentum for progress. Our ultimate happiness might result from our ability in bringing smiles on the innocent faces of vulnerable people including children, mothers and senior citizens. Following the similar theme, a few of us started a journey of passion and volunteerism as Health Foundation Nepal (HFN) in the USA and Nepal, formally, in 2013. Our dream was to improve the health of the whole community, not just of an individual, through a community based innovative approach. Our passion was to be the change we wanted to inspire. Our hope was to create a ripple effect of volunteering by starting from ourselves to achieve our goal of improving the health of the entire community. The idea was amazing, but translating the idea into action was not an easy task when we started as a small group of students and trainees in 2013. However, many of our ideas have already been translated into reality because of the help and support from so many of you, members and supporters of HFN around the world.

While reflecting on the last 10 years journey of HFN, we can clearly feel the difference in the lives of thousands of people in underserved communities of Nepal we have made. Saving and improving lives of hundreds of children with severe forms of malnutrition; empowering thousands of school children with computer and health literacy programs; improving mental health of hundreds of pregnant and postpartum mothers; rescuing and transforming numerous lives of people with serious mental illness; promoting general wellbeing and mental health of lonely and neglected senior citizens; preventing deadly non-communicable diseases by identifying and treating high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney diseases and risky behaviors including smoking and alcohol use; and starting health care for neglected indigenous (Chepang) people are some of the ways HFN has been bring smiles on the innocent faces of people in Nepal. The journey of HFN to reduce the disparity, inequity and injustice in health care in Nepal has been challenging and rewarding at the same time. Without community support and the support from all the HFN members and supporters, translating the ideas into action would not have been possible. I appreciate the moral, intellectual, psychological, physical and financial support of each and every one of you in our journey as responsible global citizens to support people in need and in turn palpate our own happiness. Please bring your innovative ideas and we will work together to translate your ideas into action.

On behalf of HFN, I wish you and your family a healthy and peaceful life ahead.

Shreedhar Paudel, MD, MPH

Cofounder, founding director and President, Health Foundation Nepal

Psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston

Jointly with

Drona Pandeya, MSCLS, MLS, SC(ASCP)CM

Vice President, Health Foundation Nepal

Laboratory Supervisor, Clinical Pathology Laboratories

Sonic Healthcare USA

Sushrusha Arjyal, MD

Vice President, Health Foundation Nepal

Psychiatrist and Assistant Professor, Duke University School of Medicine

Aditya Joshi, MD

Dear Health Foundation Nepal members,

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2025!

It is both a distinct privilege and a great honor to serve as the Executive Director of Health Foundation Nepal. As I step into this role, I do so with immense gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility to each of you and to the communities we serve.

I was born and raised in Nepal, and I have witnessed firsthand the many challenges facing our healthcare system, particularly in rural areas. My journey in medicine began at Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, followed by a Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, where I graduated in 2012. I further specialized in pediatrics and neonatal intensive care. Today, I serve as a neonatologist at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

As we enter 2025, my vision for Health Foundation Nepal is to build upon the strong foundation we have already laid. Our focus will be to strengthen our existing programs, expand our network of collaborators, and launch new healthcare initiatives that address the urgent needs in Nepal’s rural areas. With your unwavering support and dedication, I am confident we can make a profound and lasting impact.

This work is only possible through the collective effort of all of us, united by mutual respect, love, and a shared commitment to improving healthcare in Nepal. I am deeply excited to collaborate with such a passionate and inspiring team, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together this year.

Thank you for your continued dedication and partnership. Together, we will continue to make a meaningful difference.

Warmest regards,
Aditya Joshi
Executive Director
Health Foundation Nepal

Ranjan Sapkota, MD, MS, MCh

Dear HFN supporters and well-wishers,

Health Foundation Nepal (HFN), registered as a non-profit organization in the USA and Nepal, has been working to advance healthcare in rural Nepal since 2013. Equity, social justice, and community participation, as well as inter-sectoral cooperation and appropriate technology, are among HFN’s guiding principles.

HFN has been implementing different projects particularly on under five child nutrition, women of reproductive age, pregnant and lactating mothers, people suffered and affected by mental health problems and non-communicable diseases, digital and health literacy, health point water supply system and health system strengthening. HFN has been implementing different health research projects in partnership and collaboration with national and international organizations.

We also have been involved in many natural disasters around Nepal to save the lives of people. In fact, it gives immense pleasure while working for the noble cause to save the lives of people. We assure to working together by improving emergency disaster response services

HFN has been working closely with the Government of Nepal, External Development Partners and local organizations.

Our Key objectives are to ensure accessibility and availability of quality health care services to individuals of all age group; provide practical solutions – which are based on scientific evidences, on health and education to promote health and well-being of the community people and generate evidences to inform public health programs and policies, with special focus on existing and emerging public health problems.

On behalf of HFN Nepal, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for every cooperation we received from our stakeholders and donor communities for their valuable support and cooperation.

Everyone deserves a long, healthy life. When you serve to Change Lives, your actions today can help extend the lives of others.

We welcome your ideas, suggestions and input and most importantly your participation. Looking forward to more partnerships!

Featured Projects

SMILE Mother Project

COVID

Disaster Relief

What we have done with your help

1147

Postpartum and 280 pregnant women have been screened for Mental Health Problems.

5381

Under 5 children have been screened for Malnutrition.

5000

Calls were received by our doctors during COVID 19 second wave.

1419

People have been screened for NCD.

Our Impact

News and Events

Health Foundation Nepal (HFN) Internship Program

July 28, 2023

NGO Activities in Nepal: The Health Foundation Nepal- Orientation Program for Female Community Health Volunteers

July 12, 2023

Health Foundation Nepal’s initiatives to improve access to mental health care in rural Nepal

June 14, 2023

World Hypertension Day: Promoting Cardiovascular Health in Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City

May 19, 2023

Our Star Volunteers

Words from Trishna

I am glad that my first work experience was here with HFN, an organization that provides social justice to people through public health services. HFN was a great organizational placement where I along with my intern-mate engaged ourselves in the organizational activities to acquire skills to manage and administer public health services. My internship experience fostered my knowledge and practices in research activities as well.

I had great working experience that immensely contributed to the development of my leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills. At present, I am working in a project ‘Investigating the predictors of denial of abortion services and examining the consequences of unwanted pregnancy for women and their children in Nepal(2019-2023).My curriculum vitae was strong for the present job I applied only by the Internship experience in HFN and post internship job opportunity by HFN in abortion related projects.

I am delighted to have experienced a wonderful working environment in HFN and would like to acknowledge all the staffs of HFN for their regular support. Throughout every job that I get, I will always look back on my first one with HFN, because it was where my entire working career began. I owe everyone out there a “thank you”.

It was a great opportunity…

It was great opportunity for me to conduct internship in Health Foundation Nepal. I learnt a lot from meeting with people related to mental health working at ministry of health and Population (MoHP) and different hospitals, visiting field in Dang and involving into ongoing programs. The most I was impressed is communicating with beneficiaries and dedicated staff. I could get opportunity to listen directly what difficulties and needs beneficiaries have, and how staffs work and have motivation for involving in programs. Finally, I appreciate all staffs in Kathmandu and Dang office supporting and arranging this internship.

Words from Dr. Anjan

Community health has always been a passion for me. After completing my medical school at National Medical College as a government scholar, I took on a challenging role as an acting in-charge at a rural government health care center.

Health Foundation Nepal gave me that opportunity. Especially at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, where there was a massive shortage of health care facilities, through HFN, I got an opportunity to lead a telemedicine project for COVID patients in my home district. Initiating a telehealth project in rural Nepal for the first time was, in itself, a challenge. But the mentors and support of the HFN team provided us with guidance, at the same time giving us the autonomy to come with new initiatives. Through this experience, I have made new friends and connected with so many people across different nations. I am still a member of the HFN family. I volunteer as an expert consultant to expand telehealth services to patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, people enrolled in the mental health program, and children with malnutrition.