Nepal, Dec. 1 -- In the third expansion of her Cabinet on October 27, Prime Minister Sushila Karki recommended former health secretary Dr Sudha Sharma Gautam as the minister for health and population. It has been just over a month since gynaecologist and obstetrician Gautam, who was active in the health sector after retiring from government service, took charge of the ministry. Her illustrious career in the health sector, from doctor to hospital administrator to health secretary, made her appointment as the minister to be considered the among most merit-based appointments in the entire Cabinet.

Nepal's healthcare sector is facing unprecedented headwinds, with the ministry building torched during the protests, funding cuts from foreign do...