Development assistance for health given to Nepal by China and India: a comparative study

BACKGROUND Development assistance for health (DAH) promotes health development in low and middle income countries. China and India, as emerging donors, have scaled-up their DAH programs during the recent years. Nepal, as a neighboring country to China and India, has witnessed the history and development of China's and India's DAH. METHODS This research uses a literature review and in-depth individual interviewing to compare the history and forms of DAH given from China and India to Nepal. RESULTS During 60-years of DAH to Nepal, China and India have gradually increased the scale and forms of DAH, and both focus on dispatching medical teams or faculty, building health facilities and gifting medicines and equipment. However, the inclusiveness of Nepalese culture, diplomatic interests, and Nepal's cultural, linguistic and geographical closeness to India make the DAH of India different from that of China. India's DAH also includes support to grass roots NGOs and public health interventions. CONCLUSION China's and India's insistence on a recipient-driven mechanism keeps the aid programs aligned with Nepal's health development plan and respects Nepal's "ownership". China can learn from India to start the development assistance for health related NGOs and public health intervention.