Paper short abstract:

This paper traces the evolution and the development of health sector research in the context of Nepal. Based on the mapping of key research activities, actors, journals, investigators and research focused NGOs as well as key informant interviews, this paper begins to attempt to reconstruct a social history of health research in Nepal.

Paper long abstract:

There has been a steady increase in research activities within the health sector in Nepal. With the growing emphasis on 'evidence' in policy and programming and the growth of scientific publications within academia, there is an increasing emphasis on scientific research. One aspect of this is the question of 'rigor' as an important element in the debate within the scientific and policy community. This paper traces the evolution and the development of health sector research in the context of Nepal. We chart the actors, sponsors and modalities of conducting public health research and experimentation within the health sector in Nepal. In particular it examines the growing culture of contract research in the health sector. Based on the mapping of key research activities, actors, journals, investigators and research focused NGOs as well as key informant interviews, this paper begins to attempt to reconstruct a social history of health research in Nepal. The paper concludes with a number of propositions based on our ongoing fieldwork in Nepal and the broader analytical questions and the issues they raise.