Nepal Injury Research Centre

The aim of the Nepal Injury Research Centre project is to high quality injury research studies to inform policy and legislation and reduce injuries.

High injury rate in Nepal

Injuries are one of the world’s most preventable and pressing public health problems.

One third of the world’s morbidity and mortality due to injuries occur in the 11 countries of South East Asia Region, of which Nepal is one of the poorest.

Nepal has high rates of injuries from:

• natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides
• road traffic
• injuries at home and at work.

In 2015 earthquakes killed almost 9,000 people and injured over 22,000. Globally road traffic injuries are projected to rise from the eighth to the fifth leading cause of death by 2030 with the majority occurring in low and middle income countries.

Over the last decade, 80000 km of new road has been built in Nepal and vehicle numbers have increased by over 800,000. However, many new roads do not have proven safety features and are difficult to maintain.

About us

We will work with communities, advocacy groups, health organisations and the Government of Nepal to generate evidence to inform policies and change practice.

Our programme of research will:

• Engage stakeholders to understand their perspectives and priorities
• Evidence through data to develop and pilot hospital and community based injury surveillance systems, to understand how injuries occur through qualitative and survey methods
• Effective and cost-effective interventions to prioritise, develop and test the feasibility of interventions to reduce injuries
• Enhance capacity and enable sustainability to identify and support injury researchers in Nepal. This will enable them to generate internationally excellent research in a centre sustainable in the long term.

Funding

This project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Programme.

Partners

This project is led by UWE Bristol in partnership with two universities and five non-governmental organisations:

• University of Bristol
• Kathmandu Medical College
• Mother and Infant Research Activities (MIRA)
• Nepal Red Cross Society
• Swatantrata Abhiyan
• Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh
• Safe Crossings.

For further information, please contact Dr Julie Mytton.