Nepal boosts evidence-based pandemic preparedness

Kathmandu, Bagmati province - The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), with support from WHO Nepal and the Pandemic Fund, has launched the first two modules of the Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative (SORT IT) to strengthen Nepal’s pandemic preparedness through implementation research. Coordinated globally by The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), in partnership with WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank, SORT IT supports countries in strengthening data use and evidence-based decision-making to improve health services. The first two modules, held from 1–9 December, convened 22 government officials and eight WHO personnel across four teams to build practical research skills that will help generate evidence to guide public health policy. Participants from frontline and managerial roles, including clinicians, public health officers, laboratory professionals, nurses, data managers, senior officials and policymakers, received hands-on mentorship in scientific writing, protocol development, data analysis and publication. The four research topics are strategically aligned with the Pandemic Fund’s Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness for Early Detection (SPEED) project in Nepal, focusing on surveillance, early warning, laboratory systems and workforce capacity. Nepal completed its first SORT IT programme on antimicrobial resistance in 2021.