Gandhi Tulsi Mehar Hospital and Transplant Center to Be Established in Kandaghari: Organ Transplants Planned at Government-Set Fees

Nepal Health News, Kathmandu — The Kidney Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization from the private sector, has begun preparations to operate a fully equipped organ transplant center in Kathmandu with the aim of expanding access to human organ transplantation services in Nepal.

With the objective of ending the long waiting periods for transplantation at government hospitals and the high costs charged by private hospitals, the foundation is planning to establish the Gandhi Tulsi Mehar Hospital and Transplant Center in Kageshwori Manohara Municipality–9, Kandaghari.

The foundation was established by a team of experienced transplant surgeons and other medical professionals, including Dr. Narayan Prasad Bhusal, who has extensive experience in kidney transplantation. The foundation has said that the hospital will be developed primarily as a service-oriented institution rather than a commercial enterprise.

Dr. Bhusal said the hospital plans to provide kidney transplantation services at fees equivalent to those set by government health institutions. According to him, although the demand for organ transplantation services in Nepal is increasing, ensuring easy and affordable access remains a major challenge. The hospital is therefore being developed under a non-profit model to address this situation.

According to Dr. Bhusal, the team under his leadership has so far performed kidney transplants on more than 200 patients at a private medical college in Kathmandu. Building on that experience, the team now aims to provide accessible and quality transplantation services to more patients through its own institution.

From Kidney to Heart and Liver Transplants

Dr. Bhusal said there are plans to develop the Gandhi Tulsi Mehar Hospital and Transplant Center into a multi-organ transplantation center in the future.

According to him, the hospital aims to gradually expand its services beyond kidney transplantation to include heart, liver and bone marrow transplantation. A team of qualified doctors and technical professionals required for the expansion has already been formed, and services will be introduced in phases.

“Our objective is to make the hospital a means of service rather than a business,” Dr. Bhusal said. “We are moving forward with the goal of making quality transplantation services easily accessible and affordable within Nepal.”

A Transplant Hospital on Historic Ground

The site where the Gandhi Tulsi Mehar Hospital is being constructed holds significant historical importance. Senior social worker Tulsi Mehar Shrestha, who was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas, was actively involved in promoting the spinning wheel and the production of indigenous cloth in Nepal on this very historic premises.

The establishment of a modern healthcare institution at a site regarded as a bridge between the social and cultural relations of Nepal and India has been described by participants as an important achievement.

Information about preparations for operating the hospital was shared at a program held on Saturday to mark the 80th Independence Day of India.

Speaking at the event, Sunil KC, Member of the House of Representatives from Kathmandu Constituency No. 2, said he was impressed by the team of experienced medical professionals and hospital management involved in the project. He pledged to take initiatives for the necessary support from himself, his party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and the government for the operation of the hospital.
 

Healthcare Services at a Historic Nepal-India Site

Dr. Rakesh Pandey, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Nepal, expressed happiness over the establishment of a transplant hospital at a site of historical significance.

He said it was a positive development that an important healthcare institution was being established at a historic site that has helped keep the relationship between Nepal and India alive. He added that India is always ready to support initiatives that serve the interests of Nepal and the Nepali people.

Dr. Pandey also inspected the proposed site for the hospital.

Local Government Ready to Cooperate

Anil Thapa, Ward Chairperson of Kageshwori Manohara Municipality–9, said the establishment of a hospital in an area of historical significance was a matter of pride for both the municipality and local residents.

He said the local government was ready to provide the necessary cooperation and coordination for the operation of the hospital.

At the program, Bhuvan Dhungana, Acting Chairperson of the Nepal Charkha Pracharak Gandhi Tulsi Memorial Maha Guthi; General Secretary Goma Gautam; and Executive Chief Prem Prasad Lamichhane, among others, expressed happiness over the planned establishment of a transplant hospital at the historic site and pledged full support from the Guthi.

Expected to Reduce Money Spent Abroad

A significant amount of money is currently spent on human organ transplantation in Nepal. In the absence of easily accessible services within the country, some patients are also compelled to travel abroad for treatment.

In this context, expanding quality, affordable and non-profit transplantation services within Nepal is expected to help reduce the amount of money spent abroad for treatment while also lowering the financial burden on patients and their families.

If the model proposed by the Kidney Hope Foundation is successfully implemented, it could also help narrow the gap in cost and accessibility between government and private-sector transplantation services.

With the operation of the Gandhi Tulsi Mehar Hospital and Transplant Center, the foundation aims to establish a new service model in Nepal’s organ transplantation sector—one that prioritizes accessibility, affordability and quality healthcare.