Healing after the quake: evaluating the preparedness of Nepalese hospitals for future disasters

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the disaster preparedness levels of public hospitals in Nepal using the hospital safety index tool. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in three public hospitals in Nepal using the hospital safety index tool 2015 version. Multiple methods, such as site visits, document review, photo analysis and interviews with hospital personnel, were used to collect data. Based on the score, hospitals were classified into one of three categories for the level of safety: category A (high safety), category B (moderate safety) or category C (low safety). Findings The findings revealed that all assessed hospitals fell into the “B” category, indicating a moderate level of preparedness and suggesting that their ability to function during and after emergencies and disasters may be potentially at risk. One hospital achieved a category “a” rating, while the remaining two attained category “b” ratings in the structural module. For the nonstructural module, two hospitals were categorized as level “b,” while one hospital fell into category “c.” Additionally, each hospital obtained a category “b” rating in the emergency and disaster management module. Originality/value This study fills a key evidence gap in South Asia by providing the first systematic assessment of hospital disaster preparedness in Nepal using the hospital safety index tool. The findings offer standardized data for benchmarking, reveal structural, nonstructural and functional challenges and inform regional and global strategies to strengthen hospital resilience in resource-limited, disaster-prone settings.