Nepal IVD Market (2022-2029)

The growth of the Nepal in-vitro diagnostics market is mainly attributed to the increasing prevalence of infectious & non-communicable diseases and initiatives for strengthening the country’s healthcare ecosystem. However, the low accessibility & uneven distribution of healthcare services restrain the growth of this market. Additionally, the rising demand for quality healthcare in the country is expected to create market growth opportunities. However, the shortage of healthcare professionals is a major challenge for market growth.

When the first case of COVID-19 was identified in Nepal, there was not a single laboratory capable of performing RT-PCR tests. Samples were sent to other countries for testing, delaying the reports. The World Health Organization (WHO) helped the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) partner with a private research organization to provide RT-PCR primers and probes to NPHL. The NPHL started testing for COVID-19 using RT-PCR from 15th March 2020 onwards.

Further, with the additional joint efforts of the WHO and NPHL, 96 sites were established to facilitate RT-PCR testing. Moreover, the expansion of laboratory capacities also shows how the WHO’s country office worked together with the regional office (APAC), WHO Collaborating Centres associated with the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN), and Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population to expand physical sites and ensure the quality of capacity expansion by enabling quality assurance mechanisms and establishing genome sequencing capabilities. The cases of COVID-19 infection decreased over time; therefore, these facilities performing RT-PCR tests and genome sequencing can be used to diagnose other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV-AIDS, which can help boost the demand for IVD products, driving the growth of Nepal’s IVD market.

The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a major public health concern in Nepal. Behavioral risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and unhealthy diets are increasing the burden of non-communicable diseases in Nepal. Additionally, the prevalence of infectious diseases is also rising in the country. Several new infections, such as dengue fever, scrub typhus, H1N1 & H5N1 influenza, and HIV-TB coinfections, have emerged in the country in recent years, posing serious public health risks. The Government of Nepal has reported an increase in the cases of various infectious diseases.

Apart from infectious diseases, NCDs are a leading factor of morbidity and mortality in Nepal. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, and social, environmental, and economic factors are increasing the prevalence of NCDs in the country. In 2019, the Government of Nepal, along with the World Health Organization, conducted a noncommunicable disease risk factor ‘STEP’ survey, which found high tobacco and alcohol consumption, a high percentage of people being overweight, and high blood pressure medications. Hence, the prevalence of NCDs, such as cancer, is increasing.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory, in 2020, cancer cases in Nepal reached 20,508. The number of cases is estimated to reach 32,029 by 2035. Also, according to the World Bank’s Global Health Estimates 2020, the share of total deaths in the country due to non-communicable diseases increased from 60% in 2015 to 66% in 2019. Thus, the increasing prevalence of infectious & noncommunicable diseases is expected to drive the demand for in-vitro diagnostic testing products for early disease diagnosis, prevention, and prognosis.