Healing Nepal’s pharma industry

We can learn from Bangladesh’s experience in driving innovation and affordability in the pharmaceutical sector.

Think of a situation where two South Asian nations—Bangladesh and Nepal—face similar socio-economic constraints but take divergent pharmaceutical journeys. One emerges as a powerhouse, while the other struggles to meet domestic demand and control the circulation of substandard medicine. Nepal’s pharmaceutical landscape reveals multifaceted challenges, ranging from regulatory hurdles and infrastructure deficiencies to limited research and development capabilities. In contrast, Bangladesh’s success story is underpinned by strategic initiatives, innovative policies and a resilient entrepreneurial spirit. This disparity begs the question: What lessons can Nepal learn from Bangladesh?