The “Sixth National Summit of the Health and Population Scientists in Nepal” is one of the most comprehensive Summits of the 2020; organized by the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) – an autonomous body of the Government of Nepal for coordinating and promoting health research in the country. NHRC promotes research culture by facilitating communication between researchers and policymakers to translate evidence into health policies, programmes and practices. The Sixth National Summit is a continuum of the previous annual summits to bring together national and international experts and provide a platform for researchers and policymakers to share recent and relevant evidence in the area of national health priorities.

Since the turn of the 20th century, health has been a prime focus for individuals as well as nations. While on one hand, health systems came into place across the globe and started evolving with changing times; on the other hand, population health issues have grown and diversified. We have witnessed several public health emergencies in the past century, such as the 1918 influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus of avian origin. It was the most severe pandemic in recent history which caused an estimated 500 million infections and 50 million deaths. Other major pandemics included 1957-1958 Pandemic (H2N2 virus) and 1968 Pandemic (H3N2 virus). The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency for the 2009 swine flu pandemics (H1N1pdm09 virus), polio epidemics 2014, Ebola epidemics 2014, Zika virus epidemics 2016 and Kivu Ebola epidemics 2019. Most recently, WHO has declared novel corona virus as a global public health emergency.

In addition to infectious pandemics, the world is also currently facing emerging epidemics of non-communicable disease (NCDs), environmental pollution and climate change, changing population dynamics, migration related health issues, mental health and substance abuse, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), health system response to globalization, digitalization, risk communication, ageing population and finally man-made and natural disasters. Of particular importance is the climate catastrophe, the health implications of which may soon become an insurmountable problem, if not addressed on time. Furthermore, climate sensitives diseases and risks, population displacement, conflicts, violence, equity, food security, occupational hazards, pharmacovigilance, rational use of medicines are among other emerging issues that are inextricably linked to health and require urgent attention from the health and population community.

Health and population scientists can have a major contribution to uncover local evidences regarding these issues, which in turn provides an insight into the need for quality research at national and sub-national levels. The summit will focus on the research conducted on the national health priority areas of Nepal, emerging issues in health, the role of digital health and big data for promotion of research and in bringing academia and industries together for health research promotion; innovation and development for economic upliftment of the country. In addition, it will also focus on the need for emergency preparedness and developing climate resilient health system in the country. Realizing these needs, it is our pleasure to host the Sixth National Summit with the theme of “Addressing Emerging Public Health Issues through Interdisciplinary Research”.

The emerging health issues includes, but not limited to the following:

Corona virus

Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

Zoonotic diseases

Leprosy

Zika

SARS

NCDs

NTDs

Toxins and chemicals including pesticides

Climate change health risks

Environmental Pollutions

Drug induced diseases

Accidents and Injuries

Disability

Violence

Equity in Health

Food-, water and -vector borne diseases

Food security and malnutrition

Occupational health

Pharmacovigilance

Oral Health

Rationale use of medicines and medical products

Migration and health

Substance use/abuse and mental health

Population dynamics

Disasters

Health workforce

Medical tourism

Health system reform

Adolescents health

Health financing and health care

Life cycle approach

Eye health

Access to health care

Geriatric health including dementia

Genetics and health

Unfinished business of MDGs and road map to SDGS

Health promotion

Health Governance in the federal context

Digital health including big data

Risk communication and community engagement

Medico-legal aspects

Multisectoral collaboration and partnership

Health professional education, research and ethics

Quality of health care

Lifestyles

Dignified Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)

Integrated diseases surveillance

Health Information Systems

Security of Health commodities

Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)