The Britain Nepal Medical Trust
The Britain Nepal Medical Trust was established in 1967 by a group of young doctors whose ambition was to do something of value in a country where their medical skills were urgently required.
The Britain Nepal Medical Trust was established in 1967 by a group of young doctors (from St Thomas’) who had an ambition of doing something of value in a part of the world where their medical skills were more urgently required than UK. They departed overland – excited and inspired by the opportunity of working in the mountains of the Himalaya – and on arrival they were sent to Biratnagar to run the regional hospital.
Hungry for the mountains – a couple of the team headed off north and within a year the BNMT programme had expanded into the hill districts of the eastern Region – starting with a BCG programme they rapidly expanded into tuberculosis control – an area which we continue to play and active part today.
And from those small beginnings – 45 years on – BNMT now stands as:
- one of the first INGOs to work in Nepal
- one of the longest serving INGOs in Nepal
- with a strong track record of working in partnership with the National TB programme in TB control – bringing in some of the worlds most famous experts over the years – including Sir John Crofton, Dr Wallace Fox and Dr Knut Ovreberg..
- a world leader in piloting models of essential drug supply to rural areas – to ensure a year round supply of essential drugs
- an early implementer of community health and development programmes – training of CHWs/CHVs – which evolved in to FCHVs, with a focus on female literacy, savings funds, income generation projects, nutrition, water supply and sanitation as part of an approach to tackling the wider determinants of health
- international recognition for our work on health rights – with disadvantaged groups – and a focus of advocacy, community and social mobilization
- recognized for its commitment to partnership working across a broad spectrum of organizations – MOHP, community based organizations, INGOs, NTP, multilateral and bilateral donors and communities.
We work under an agreement with the Government of Nepal and in association with other local NGOs in all five regions of the country.
In 2013 we established BNMT Nepal, a local Nepali non governmental organization, with its own local governing board to work with BNMT UK collaboratively on programme implementation. For more information click here.
Our programmes extend to around a fifth of Nepal’s 30 million (2021) population.
BNMT’s response to Covid 19 in Nepal
BNMT is supporting the Government of Nepal in their response to the Covid 19 pandemic by providing support to Hamro Swasthya Dhala (Our Health Shield) – the development and iteration of a web portal and mobile App which provides people with the up to date information they need to help them stay safe and protect themselves.
The App also allows the dissemination of reliable information from official sources both from the provinces to the federal government and in the reverse direction. With the Ministry of Health and Population busy responding to the needs of medical facilities and personnel across the country, it was realized that the provision of expert IT support to the government could play a vital part in improving the effectiveness of the government response.
A consortium of partners including Proactive organization; Progressive Engineers Association of Nepal, Soch Nepal, Naxa, Code for Core Innovations, Institute of Himalayan Risk Reduction and IT Maps and Consult formed a working group for IT support to the Ministry and BNMT has committed funds to support this.
BNMT is also providing emergency support and sustenance to communities affected by crisis in Morang district in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development of Province 1 and the public health office and local government of Morang district.
If you wish to support the work that BNMT is doing to reduce the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic in Nepal - you can make a donation: https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/723#!/DonationDetails
About the trust
For 55 Years the Britain Nepal Medical Trust:
- Is one of the longest serving INGOs in Nepal
- Plays an important role in TB control – in partnership with the National TB Programme
- Is a world leader in piloting models of essential drug supply to rural areas
- An early implementer of community health and development programmes
- Is recognized for work on health rights with disadvantaged groups
- Is actively involved with earthquake relief and reconstruction
Nepal Earthquake
A powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Nepal on 25th April 2015. This was followed by multiple aftershocks and a further big quake on 12th May 2015.
Over 8000 people died and in the mountainous areas to the north west and north east of Kathmandu over 80% of houses were destroyed.
Our Work in Nepal
Find out all about the work we do in Nepal, from empowering communities to facilitating lifesaving healthcare.