Kathmandu: The Government of Nepal and the World Bank have digitally signed financing agreements for a $100 million USD concessional loan from the International Development Association and a $3.84 million USD grant from the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund. These funds aim to bolster the quality, coverage, and resilience of Nepal's health system.

These agreements were digitally signed on October 27, 2023, marking the first World Bank-financed project in Nepal to be executed through digital signing, as stated in a release by the World Bank Nepal office.

The Nepal Quality Health Systems Program Operation agreements were signed by Finance Secretary Dr. Krishna Hari Pushkar and the World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos. The signing took place in the presence of Minister of Finance Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, World Bank Managing Director for Operations Anna Bjerde, and World Bank Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser.

The program will be overseen by the Ministry of Health and Population in coordination with the Health Insurance Board at the federal level, as well as selected provincial and local levels in Koshi and Gandaki provinces.

The initiative prioritizes strengthening the health system's readiness to provide quality healthcare, expanding health insurance coverage, and enhancing health emergency preparedness and response capabilities at the selected provincial and local levels.