A UK-registered charity with a legacy of nearly 60 years supporting health and development in Nepal
Since its founding in 1967, when a group of young British Doctors travelled overland to Nepal, the Britain Nepal Medical Trust has supported the people of Nepal to improve their own health, to improve their access to health services, and to alleviate poverty.
This work has evolved from service provision in disease control, through larger project in community health and development, to applied research to develop better tools for health improvement. It has also evolved from an organisation led and managed by international volunteers to one led and managed by Nepali health and development professionals.
To support the people of Nepal in improving health and reducing poverty by advancing equitable access to quality health care through evidence-based, locally led initiatives and applied health research that empower communities and promote sustainable development.
In Nepal, Nepali leadership and management established the Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT Nepal) as a Nepali-led and managed national NGO. In Britain, the Britain Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT UK) established a renewed strategy focused on advancing its mission in close partnership with BNMT Nepal – supporting locally led efforts to improve health, expand access to care, and reduce poverty in Nepal.
Thematically, our focus has progressed from service provision in disease control, through larger projects in community health and development, to applied research aimed at developing better tools for health improvement.
Today, BNMT delivers its mandate exclusively through the work of BNMT Nepal. This partnership ensures that our programmes are locally led, contextually grounded, and sustainable.
BNMT UK is governed by a Board of Trustees who serve on staggered three-year term cycle. Responsible for the governance and management of BNMT UK, Trustees have ultimate responsibility for BNMT UK’s regulatory compliance in the UK, ensuring its activities align with its charitable purposes, and maintaining fiduciary responsibility for the judicious use of BNMT UK resources.
Click photo to display bio.
Chair
A global health professional whose work centres on health systems and the political economy of health sector reform in Africa and Asia, Jeff worked in Nepal with BNMT from 1983-87, following a three-year stint with the US Peace Corps from 1980. He has served on the Board since 2002 and was previously Chair from 2005-11.
Treasurer
Jane holds a degree in chemistry from Durham University and is a qualified accountant (ACCA) with over three decades of experience including 20 years in private equity. Her work has entailed oversight of governance, risk and compliance, fund management and regulatory reporting.
Company Secretary
Mash works as a Consultant in Public Health, advising local government on the health and well-being of the local population in the UK. She holds a PhD in Public Health Medicine from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has previously worked internationally with UN sister agencies like UNDP, UNFPA, and WHO.
Board Member
Sarah Barton is the Director of Operations (COO) at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam, overseeing strategic leadership and daily operations across the Programme, including Units in Kathmandu and Jakarta. She holds an MBA from the University of Nottingham and has worked internationally for the British Council and several UK universities across Asia, Africa, and South America.
Board Member
Dr Dhital, a long-standing GP in Walthamstow, became a BNMT trustee in 2012. Born in Nepal, he studied medicine in Bangladesh, practised in Nepal, and later moved to the UK. He has worked tirelessly to foster goodwill between the Nepalese and UK communities, earning several honours, including an OBE (2007) and multiple national decorations.
Board Member
"Bob, a former field doctor and BNMT patron, leads the International Health Team at Mott MacDonald. With over 30 years’ experience across organisations including USAID, DFID, WHO, and the World Bank, he has worked globally on health systems and published widely on health policy, economics, and access to care.
Board Member
Gillian, a former field doctor, became a BNMT Trustee in 1993 and has chaired the Trust since 2009. Trained in public health medicine, she has worked in the NHS and internationally, and is the founder and former CEO of SH:24, an online sexual health service that has transformed reproductive health services in the NHS and globally
Board Member
Andy is a freelance public health consultant and academic at St Andrews University with over 30 years’ international experience in infectious disease control, microbiology, and antimicrobial resistance. He has worked with leading research institutions and WHO, and in recent years has supported BNMT on laboratory capacity strengthening in Nepal.
Consistent with UK good practice, BNMT UK updates its assessment of risk and its mitigation on an annual basis.
The Britain Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT UK) conducts its work in Nepal through the Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT Nepal), an independent Nepali NGO. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone we work with, especially children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding is at the heart of all of our programs and partnership, wherever we work in the world.
We have zero tolerance for any form of abuse, exploitation, or harm. Our safeguarding policies apply to all staff, volunteers, partners, and contractors. We proactively implement measures to prevent abuse and respond swiftly and appropriately when concerns arise.
Together, we can ensure that our programs and partnerships are safe, respectful, and accountable.
The Britain Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT UK) conducts its work in Nepal through the Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT Nepal), an independent Nepali NGO. We are committed to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking in all areas of our operations and supply chains. We recognize that modern slavery is a global issue that affects millions of people, and we are determined to play our part in its eradication.
Together, we are committed to transparency, accountability, and upholding the dignity and freedom of every person we work with.
The Britain Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT UK) conducts its work in Nepal through the Birat Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT Nepal), an independent Nepali NGO. We are committed to conducting ethical, responsible, and transparent research that protects the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of all participants.
BNMT Nepal research practices are guided by the Declaration of Helsinki, a set of ethical principles for medical and human research developed by the World Medical Association. These principles serve as the foundation for ethical research across all contexts in which we operate.
Together BNMT UK and BNMT Nepal are committed to fostering a culture of ethical inquiry and continuous learning, in alignment with international research standards.