Foundation Stone Laid for Japan-Funded Improvement of Trauma and Emergency Center in Dhulikhel Hospital, set to Transform Emergency Health Care in Nepal

The Government of Japan and the Government of Nepal are advancing their partnership in healthcare development with the foundation stone laying ceremony of the ‘Project for the Improvement of Dhulikhel Hospital Trauma and Emergency Center’, held today in Dhulikhel Municipality, Kavre.

This project is being implemented under a bilateral agreement signed in October 2023, through which the Government of Japan extended grant assistance of up to 3.296 billion Japanese yen. On May 16, 2025, Japan further pledged an additional 573 million yen in grant aid, bringing its total contribution to over 3.869 billion yen (approximately NPR 3.5 billion).

The foundation stone was officially laid by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who attended the event as Chief Guest. Also present were Minister for Health and Population. Pradip Paudel, Health Secretary Dr. Bikash Devkota, Mayor of Dhulikhel Municipality Ashok Kumar Byanju, Deputy Chief of Missions and Charge d’ Affair a.i. of the Embassy of Japan, Kathmandu TAMURA Takahiro, Executive Director of Dhulikhel Hospital Dr. Ram Kantha Makaju, Chief Representative of JICA Nepal MATSUZAKI Mizuki, and other senior officials.

In his address, Prime Minister Oli expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Government of Japan and JICA for their generous and continued support. He emphasized that the new center will significantly enhance emergency and trauma care services at Dhulikhel Hospital, contributing to improved healthcare delivery and broader social development in Nepal.

Nepal faces a growing demand for emergency medical services due to a rise in road traffic accidents and other injuries—which nearly doubled nationwide between 2016 and 2021—as well as an increase in non-communicable diseases such as stroke and heart conditions linked to changing lifestyles. Currently, Dhulikhel Hospital, one of Nepal’s leading tertiary care centers at sub-national level, lacks sufficient infrastructure and equipment to manage the growing caseload.

The new Trauma and Emergency Center will address these challenges by constructing:

• Emergency rooms
• Operating theaters
• Intensive Care Units (ICU)
• Outpatient consultation rooms and so on.
• Procuring and installing advanced medical equipment, including MRI, CT scan, C-arm, X-ray machines, and sterilizers.

This comprehensive upgrade will enable the hospital to respond more effectively to trauma cases and critical emergencies.

JICA Nepal’s Chief Representative, MATSUZAKI Mizuki, reaffirmed JICA’s commitment to supporting Nepal in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). He highlighted Japan’s role as a longstanding and reliable development partner to Nepal, dedicated to strengthening bilateral ties and improving the lives of Nepali citizens through enhanced healthcare systems.