Dr. Raghuraj Kafle Appointed Executive Director of Health Insurance Board

Kathmandu – The government has appointed Dr. Raghuraj Kafle as the new Executive Director of the Health Insurance Board. The decision was made during a Council of Ministers meeting held on Monday evening. Kafle, a resident of Vyas-5, Tanahun, will assume the position that had been vacant for five months following the completion of Dr. Damodar Basaula’s four-year term on November 10, 2024.

After Dr. Basaula’s tenure ended, the Ministry of Health had appointed Dr. Saroj Sharma as the acting director until a permanent appointment was made. A recommendation committee formed to select the new executive director had shortlisted three candidates: Dr. Krishna Adhikari, Kamal Panthi, and Dr. Raghuraj Kafle. Following the committee’s recommendation, the Council of Ministers decided to appoint Kafle to the post.

Kafle holds a degree in economics and has extensive experience in health insurance and public policy. He was previously a member of the Health Insurance Reform Task Force formed by the Ministry of Health, where he contributed valuable insights for improving health insurance policies.

His professional background includes a four-year tenure as the executive head of the Foreign Employment Board and 19 months as the Vice Chairman of the Gandaki Province Policy and Planning Commission. Kafle has also served as a district team leader for development projects under the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), focusing on participatory district development and decentralized programs for women and children.