Nepal’s National Centre for AIDS and STD Control has officially recognized MSM as an important driver of the country’s HIV epidemic since at least 2003. Infections among the general population and injecting drug users have declined in recent years. Meanwhile, infections among MSM and female sex workers appear stable. Nepal’s HIV programme is recognised as a ‘P1’ or first priority in thecountry’s Interim National Development Plan. The Government of Nepal prioritises P1 programmes over all other non-P1 programmes when determining budget allocations. However, there are popular concerns regarding the sustainability of Nepal’s HIV financing mechanisms.
Coverage among key affected populations has improved over the years as a result of focused interventions and increased community-based organization involvement. Community-level interventions, some of which involve MSM, are central to Nepal’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy,2011–2016.
