In Nepal, people with TB are severely undernourished at diagnosis which can be exacerbated by loss of livelihood and catastrophic health expenditures. Previous studies conducted by BNMT showed that 1/3rd of TB affected households in Nepal faced food insecurity.
In January 2024, BNMT piloted the NOURISH Project, a nutritional support package for TB patients in Morang, Mahottari and Banke supported by Sabitri Basnyat Foundation and BNMT UK.
The NOURISH Project aims to Provide six months of nutritional support to 200 TB-affected individuals and their households in Morang, Mahottari, and Banke districts, prioritizing those in extreme poverty or with BMI ≤18.5 at diagnosis. Develop a scale-up strategy to guide the National TB Program and generate data for a larger randomized trial funding application on nutritional support for TB in Nepal. This project will also assess clinical outcomes and BMI changes in beneficiaries compared to a control group not receiving support and organize policy dialogue with government stakeholders to share findings and discuss strategies for scaling up nutritional support.
PROJECT PERIOD: January 2024 – December 2024
200 TB affected households (approx.700 individual beneficiaries