KATHMANDU: In a dramatic overhaul aimed at ending red tape and speeding up public services, Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has approved a new organizational structure that abolishes one of its two secretary posts and shifts toward a leaner, IT-driven administration. The ministry says the reform will make decision-making faster, more transparent, and more accountable. The structure has been reduced from five divisions to four, with a powerful new Public Health Coordination and Information Technology Division placed at the center of operations.

Several overlapping branches, including provincial coordination, development assistance, and public information units, have been scrapped to cut delays and policy confusion. New positions for data officers, economists, and web/app developers signal a strong push toward evidence-based governance. The ministry has also tightened oversight of food quality, food quarantine, and drug regulation, calling the reform a major step toward a modern, citizen-focused health system.