Health secretary stresses evidence-based policy & strong health governance

KATHMANDU: Health Secretary Dr. Bikash Devkota has said that evidence-based policymaking and effective governance are essential to strengthening the country’s health system.

Addressing the ‘National Summit of Health and Population Scientists’ organized by the Nepal Health Research Council, Dr. Devkota emphasized that health research is no longer optional but a necessity for national development.

Highlighting the theme of this year’s summit—“Health Research Governance for Evidence-Based Decision-Making and Implementation in Nepal”—he stressed the need to integrate five key pillars: research, governance, evidence, decision-making, and implementation.

He also underscored the importance of translating research findings into practice, stating that the gap between policy formulation and implementation must be reduced through faster and more effective use of scientific evidence.