Pratik is a PhD Research Fellow at the Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting (BCEPS) at the University of Bergen. He contributes to the NORAD-funded Essential NCD Interventions Project. His research explores the intersection of economic evaluation, priority setting, and health systems, with a focus on Nepal. His work includes estimating the societal cost of cancer and assessing the cost-effectiveness of cancer interventions in low-resource settings.
With a training background in public health, Pratik’s broader interests encompass health system and health policy, health economics and health financing, and economic impact of non-communicable diseases. 

Before joining the University of Bergen, he worked in research and program leadership roles at Population Services International Nepal, the KOICA National Health Insurance Support Project, and the Nepal Health Research Council. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the Nepal Public Health Association.

Pratik is also a member of international professional associations such as the International Health Economics Association, International Society for Priorities in Health,  American Society of Oncology, American Public Health Association, ISPOR–The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, among others. 

He also contributes to global initiatives such as WHO-led Co-creating priorities for cancer 2030 and Sustainable Financing for Health Working Group of the WHO Civil Society Commission

Academic article

• Dangaura, Nripa Raj; Khanal, Pratik; Kuikel, Bihari Sharan et al. (2025). Impact of National health insurance on medication adherence among hypertensive patients: A hospital-based cross-sectional study from Kailali, Nepal. (external link)
• Khanal, Pratik; Johansson, Kjell Arne; Pandey, Achyut Raj et al. (2025). Financial burden of cancer in Nepal: Factors associated with annual cost and catastrophic health expenditure. (external link)
• Shrestha, Sunil; Pathak, Nabin; Sapkota, Simit et al. (2025). Strengthening cancer care for the LGBTQIA+ population in Nepal: A narrative review to set priorities for equitable oncology service. (external link)
• Khanal, Pratik; Sapkota, Suman; Poudel, Nirmal et al. (2025). Association between out-of-pocket expenditure and health-related quality of life among patients receiving cancer treatment: a cross-sectional study from Nepal. (external link)
• Mishra, Shiva Raj; Ghimire, Kamal; Khanal, Vishnu et al. (2025). Transforming health in Nepal: a historical and contemporary review on disease burden, health system challenges, and innovations.. (external link)
• Khatri, Resham; Khanal, Pratik; Thakuri, Dipendra Singh et al. (2025). Navigating Nepal’s health financing system: A road to universal health coverage amid epidemiological and demographic transitions. (external link)
• Adhikari, Basant; Ranabhat, Kamal; Khanal, Pratik et al. (2024). Procurement process and shortages of essential medicines in public health facilities: A qualitative study from Nepal. (external link)
• Shrestha, Rasmita; Shakya, Aditya; Khanal, Pratik et al. (2024). User satisfaction with the National Health Insurance Program: A community-based survey from the Ilam district of Nepal. (external link)
• Adhikari, Samir; Ranabhat, Kamal; Bhattarai, Suraj et al. (2023). Epidemiology of COVID-19 mortality in Nepal: An analysis of the National Health Emergency Operation Center data. (external link)
• Maharjan, Jasmine; Pandit, Sagar; Johansson, Kjell Arne et al. (2023). Effectiveness of interventions for emergency care of hypoglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis: A systematic review. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

• Khanal P, Johansson KA, Pandey AR, Mishra RK, Poudel N, Sharma S, Karmacharya BM, Adhikari SR, Aryal KK. Financial burden of cancer in Nepal: Factors associated with annual cost and catastrophic health expenditure. PLoS One. 2025 Sep 3;20(9):e0331321.
• Khanal P, Sapkota S, Poudel N, Pandey AR, Bhattarai B, Khatiwada E, Mishra RK, Karmacharya BM, Adhikari SR, Johansson KA, Aryal KK. Association between out-of-pocket expenditure and health-related quality of life among patients receiving cancer treatment: a cross-sectional study from Nepal. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 2025 Jul 15;23(1):73.
• Shrestha S, Pathak N, Sapkota S, Thapa S, Pandit S, Bhandari J, Barman P, Khanal P, Ranabhat K, Paudyal V, Singh D. Strengthening cancer care for the LGBTQIA+ population in Nepal: A narrative review to set priorities for equitable oncology services. Dialogues in Health. 2025 Jul 5:100229.
• Khatri RB, Khanal P, Thakuri DS, Ghimire P, Jakovljevic M (2025) Navigating Nepal’s health financing system: A road to universal health coverage amid epidemiological and demographic transitions. PLoS One 20(5): e0324880.
• Mishra SR, Ghimire K, Khanal V, Aryal D, Shrestha B, Khanal P, Yadav S, Sharma V, Khatri R, Schwarz D, Adhikari B. Transforming health in Nepal: a historical and contemporary review on disease burden, health system challenges, and innovations. Health Research Policy and Systems. 2025 May 20;23:61.
• Paudel, K., Shah, S., Khanal, P. et al. Association of sleep quality, smartphone addiction, and depressive symptoms among undergraduate medical students in Nepal. Discov Psychol 4, 125 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-024-00246-y
• Adhikari P, Paudel K, Bhusal S, Gautam K, Khanal P, Adhikari TB, KC P, Shrestha R, Shrestha SM. Health literacy and its determinants among school-going children: a school-based cross-sectional study in Nepal. Health Promotion International. 2024 Aug;39(4):daae059.
• Shrestha R, Shakya A, Khanal P, Khanal VK, Jha N, Nepal Gurung G, et al. (2024) User satisfaction with the National Health Insurance Program: A community-based survey from the Ilam district of Nepal. PLoS ONE 19(5): e0303045.
• Adhikari B, Ranabhat K, Khanal P, Poudel M, Marahatta SB, Khanal S, et al. (2024) Procurement process and shortages of essential medicines in public health facilities: A qualitative study from Nepal. PLOS Glob Public Health 4(5): e0003128.
• Maharjan J, Pandit S, Johansson KA, Khanal P, Karmacharya B, Kaur G, Aryal KK. Effectiveness of Interventions for Emergency Care of Hypoglycaemia and Diabetic Ketoacidosis: A Systematic Review. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. 2023 Dec 27:111078.
• Adhikari SK, Ranabhat K, Bhattarai S, Saud B, Paudel K, Bhandari R, Khanal P, Keene CM, Khanal V. Epidemiology of COVID‐19 mortality in Nepal: An analysis of the National Health Emergency Operation Center data. Public Health Challenges. 2023 Dec;2(4):e127.
• Ghimire, S., Ghimire, S., Khanal, P. et al. Factors affecting health insurance utilization among insured population: evidence from health insurance program of Bhaktapur district of Nepal. BMC Health Serv Res 23, 159 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09145-9
• Sigdel A, Angdembe MR, Khanal P, Adhikari N, Maharjan A, Paudel M. Medical abortion drug dispensing practices among private pharmacy workers in Nepal: A mystery client study. Plos one. 2022 Nov 23;17(11):e0278132.
• Khanal P, Paudel K, Mehata S, Thapa A, Bhatta R, Bhattarai HK. Anxiety and depressive symptoms among home isolated patients with COVID-19: A cross-sectional study from Province One, Nepal. PLOS Global Public Health. 2022 Sep 12;2(9):e0001046.
• Paudel K, Adhikari TB, Khanal P, Bhatta R, Paudel R, et al. (2022) Sleep quality and its correlates among undergraduate medical students in Nepal: A cross-sectional study. PLOS Global Public Health 2(2): e0000012.
• Bhusal KR, Devkota S, Pathak S, Khanal P, Khanal U, Thapalia P, Neupane S, Gyanwali P, Simkhada R, Oli KK. Prevalence of Microalbuminuria in Non-diabetic Hypertensive Patients and its Correlation with Changes in Left Ventricular and Left Atrial Characteristics.
• KCB. B., Khanal P., OliL. K., DhitalS. R., PradhanB., PahariD. P., & PaudelK. R. (2022). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Tobacco Use among High School Students . Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 20(02), 310-315.
• Khanal P, Paudel K, Devkota N, Dahal M, Mishra SR, et al. (2021) Corona virus fear among health workers during the early phase of pandemic response in Nepal: A web-based cross-sectional study. PLOS Global Public Health 1(12): e0000083
• Dhimal M, Dumre SP, Sharma GN, Khanal P, Ranabhat K, Shah LP, Lal BK, Jha R, Upadhyaya BP, Acharya B, Shrestha SK. An outbreak investigation of scrub typhus in Nepal: confirmation of local transmission. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021 Dec;21:1-1.
• Acharya R, Khanal P, Bhattarai HK, Amatya A. Risk factors of preterm birth in Nepal: a hospital-based matched case-control study. Frontiers in Reproductive Health. 2021 Aug 30;3:697419.
• Bhattarai H, McLachlan CS, Khanal P, Adhikari TB, Ranabhat K, Koirala S, Parajuli SB, Pokharel Y, Paudel S, Soti PB, Subedi B. May measurement month 2019: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Nepal. European Heart Journal Supplements. 2021 May 1;23(Supplement_B):B110-3.
• Gyawali B, Khanal P, Mishra SR, van Teijlingen E, Wolf Meyrowitsch D. Building strong primary health care to tackle the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nepal. Global Health Action. 2020 Dec 31;13(1):1788262.
• Poudyal, I.P., Khanal, P., Mishra, S.R. et al. Cardiometabolic risk factors among patients with tuberculosis attending tuberculosis treatment centers in Nepal. BMC Public Health 20, 1364 (2020).
• Bhattarai, H.K., Khanal, P., Khanal, V. et al. Factors associated with child health service delivery by female community health volunteers in Nepal: findings from a national survey. BMC Health Serv Res 20, 561 (2020).
• Panthi, B., Khanal, P., Dahal, M. et al. An urgent call to address the nutritional status of women and children in Nepal during COVID-19 crises. Int J Equity Health 19, 87 (2020)
• Ranabhat, K., Khanal, P., Mishra, S.R. et al. Health related quality of life among haemodialysis and kidney transplant recipients from Nepal: a cross sectional study using WHOQOL-BREF. BMC Nephrol 21, 433 (2020).
• Khanal, P., Devkota, N., Dahal, M. et al. Mental health impacts among health workers during COVID-19 in a low resource setting: a cross-sectional survey from Nepal. Global Health 16, 89 (2020).
• Dahal, M., Khanal, P., Maharjan, S. et al. Mitigating violence against women and young girls during COVID-19 induced lockdown in Nepal: a wake-up call. Global Health 16, 84 (2020).
• Marasini B, Lal BK, Thapa S, Awasthi KR, Bajracharya B, Khanal P, Neupane S, Jha SN, Acharya S, Iama S, Koirala M. G6PD deficiency in malaria endemic areas of Nepal. Malaria journal. 2020 Dec;19:1-9.
• Adhikari, T.B., Bhattarai, H., Ranabhat, K., Khanal, P., Mishra, S.R., Koirala, S., Pandey, S., Devkota, S., Gairhe, M., Dhamala, B. and Soti, P.B., 2020. May Measurement Month 2018: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Nepal. European Heart Journal Supplements, 22(Supplement_H), pp.H92-H95.
• Shrestha R, Shrestha S, Khanal P, Kc B. Nepal’s first case of COVID-19 and public health response. Journal of travel medicine. 2020 Apr;27(3):taaa024.
• Dhimal M., Khanal P., Dangal G., & Gyanwali P. (2020). Addressing Emerging Public Health Issues through Interdisciplinary Research. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 18(2), I-II.
• Mehata, S., Bhattarai, N., Menzel, J., Shah, M., Khanal, P., Tofigh, S., Khanal, M.N., Regmi, S.C. and Andersen, K., 2019. Prevalence and correlates of postabortion long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use among young women (24 and below) in Nepal: Strategy in the search for improvements. Reproductive Health, 16(1), pp.1-9.
• Khanal P, Mishra SR. Federal governance and the undying parade for universal health coverage in Nepal. Health Prospect. 2019 Feb 25;18(1):1-3.
• Mishra, S. R., Khanal, P., & Khanal, V. (2018). Sustained Neglect in Mental Health during Nepal’s Crises. Health Prospect, 17(1), 4–7.
• Khanal, P., & Maharjan, S. (2018). Ethical challenges in mental health research with focus in Nepal. Health Prospect, 17(1), 8–11.
• Khanal P. Bringing all together for research capacity building in LMICs. The Lancet Global Health. 2017 Sep 1;5(9):e868.
• Bhandari P, Khanal P. Pride in autistic diversity: against treatment or for inclusion?. The Lancet. 2016 Nov 19;388(10059):2477.
• Khanal P, Bhattarai N. Health beyond health to bridge the global health gap. The Lancet Global Health. 2016 Nov 1;4(11):e792.
• Khanal P, Khanal A. Strengthening of information systems and research to tackle HIV and non-communicable diseases. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. 2016 Oct 1;4(10):815.
• Mishra SR, Khanal P, Dhimal M. Nepal’s quest for Universal Health Coverage. J Pharm Pract Community Med. 2016;2(4):104-106.
• Mishra SR, Khanal P, Karki DK, Kallestrup P, Enemark U. National health insurance policy in Nepal: challenges for implementation. Global health action. 2015 Dec 1;8(1):28763.
• Khanal V, Khanal P, Lee AH. Sustaining progress in maternal and child health in Nepal. The Lancet. 2015 Jun 27;385(9987):2573.

Prioritizing Health System Interventions for UHC in Nepal | Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting in Health (BCEPS) | UiB