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Nepal hospital offers free brain tumor surgeries for a month
🇳🇵 Nepal /Health & Science

Nepal hospital offers free brain tumor surgeries for a month

From OnlineKhabar English · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Bir Hospital's National Brain Tumor Center in Nepal will offer free brain tumor surgeries for one month.
  • The initiative coincides with World Brain Tumor Day and aims to raise awareness and save lives through timely treatment.
  • The center also released statistics showing an increase in brain tumor cases, particularly high-grade gliomas, and urged the public to seek medical attention for persistent symptoms.

Bir Hospital's National Brain Tumor Center (NBTC) in Kathmandu has announced a month-long initiative offering free brain tumor surgeries to newly registered patients. This program, launched on World Brain Tumor Day, aims to make critical treatment accessible and raise public awareness about the disease.

Many lives could be saved through timely treatment.

— Prof. Dr. Rajiv JhaHighlighting the importance of early intervention for brain tumor patients.

During a commemorative event, Dr. Chiradham Budhathoki received the "Champion of Neuro-Oncology Care 2026" award for his contributions to neuro-oncology in Nepal. Prof. Dr. Rajiv Jha, head of Neurosurgery at Bir Hospital and founder of NBTC, emphasized the life-saving potential of timely treatment. "Many lives could be saved through timely treatment," he stated, noting the center's annual awareness programs.

Bir Hospital typically performs 30 to 40 brain tumor surgeries monthly, with costs exceeding 100,000 Nepalese Rupees for patients under normal circumstances. The NBTC also released national statistics for 2081-2082 BS, revealing that nearly 3,000 brain tumor patients received treatment in the latter year. This represents a 15.4% increase from the previous year, with an additional 200-300 patients seeking treatment annually.

The centre organises awareness programs annually to mark the occasion.

— Prof. Dr. Rajiv JhaDescribing the National Brain Tumor Center's efforts to educate the public.

The data highlights a concerning rise in high-grade glioma cases, increasing from 43.1% to 55.9% in 2082 BS. Doctors attribute this trend to patients delaying medical care until the disease is advanced. While meningioma cases have also increased, the number of Grade-3 meningiomas has declined. The Bagmati Province reports the highest number of patients, while access to specialist services remains limited in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces.

The data indicate that an additional 200 to 300 patients are entering treatment each year.

— Prof. Dr. Rajiv JhaPresenting statistics on the growing number of brain tumor patients in Nepal.

Dr. Jha urged the public to consult a doctor for persistent symptoms like headaches, vomiting, seizures, or vision and hearing problems, stressing that early detection significantly improves treatment success rates. The NBTC also identified needs for advanced medical equipment, including a hybrid operating room and radiosurgery technology, to enhance complex brain tumor treatments within Nepal.

The proportion of high-grade glioma cases increased from 43.1 per cent to 55.9 per cent.

— Prof. Dr. Rajiv JhaDetailing the rise in severe brain tumor diagnoses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by OnlineKhabar English in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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