Principal Investigator: Dr. Abhinav Vaidya/ Co-investigator: Dr. Natalia Oli

Kathmandu Medical College received NIH funding for Risk project “Building research capacity for prevention and control of non-communicable disease risk factors in Nepalese population” (Grant Number: 1D71TW011468-01). This project is run in collaboration with Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medicine and Harvard School of Public Health, and is targeting a 5-year full NIH D43 grant.

During the one-year period of the project, formative situational assessment was done with stakeholders including academicians, researchers, policymakers, program implementers, Masters level students and young graduates of public health; desk review of curricula of Masters level programs in public health and community medicine; and consultation with experts. The main aim of the situational assessment was to develop vision and strategies for a research training program to enhance Nepal’s research capacity on epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and control of NCD risk factors through a D43 grant.

bRISK brainstorming meeting [February 23, 2020]

A brainstorming meeting was conducted on 23rd February 2020 to share the findings from formative situational assessment and to develop vision and strategies for the targeted research training program. Dr. Pradeep Gyawali, Executive Member Secretary of Nepal Health Research Council, along with representatives from the partnering institutes, NCD Alliance Nepal, Nepal Public Health Association, Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities, DFID, ICIMOD and other government organizations, youth led organizations, School of Environmental Science and Management, KIST Medical College, attended the program. KMC was represented by Department of Community Medicine, Institutional Review Committee and Research Committee. Furthermore, discussions were done about on the six major focus areas: collaboration, consortium, training, mentor, mentees and content of the program which gave insights and ideas for development of the envisioned research training program.