FHI Focus on Nepal

Nepal faces a rapidly expanding HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is attributable to an active sex trade, increasing number of HIV infected injecting drug users, and substantial male labor migration. Recent studies confirm that Nepal has gone from a low-prevalence country to one with a concentrated epidemic in one or more high-risk groups. For example, HIV-1 seroprevalence has been rising rapidly in association with high risk behaviors, with current levels of 40% amongst the nation’s injecting drug users and approaching 20% amongst Kathmandu’s female sex workers (FSWs). In the absence of effective public health interventions, HIV prevalence in Nepal may increase to the level of making AIDS the leading cause of death in the 15-49 year old population.