/countries/nepal/picture17713e057-c5fd-48d6-80f5-e8758b538d41.jpg?sfvrsn=22b92902_4 "Public health teams from Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Food Safety, WHO and the Nepali Army plan the health response in Nuwakot, one of the areas affected by the 2026 floods")
EDCD, WHO, and Nepali Army public health teams in Nuwakot. Photo credit: WHO Nepal
When flash floods swept through parts of central Nepal on 26 August 2026, they caused devastating loss of life and widespread damage across affected districts. Homes and livelihoods were upended, while roads, bridges, water supply systems and health facilities were severely affected, disrupting essential services and leaving tens of thousands of people in need of support.
As relief and recovery efforts continue, many families remain displaced, including people staying in temporary shelters and holding centres. Crowded living conditions, damaged water and sanitation systems, disrupted health services and difficult road access can increase the risk of communicable diseases in the weeks following a disaster.
To help reduce these risks, the Government of Nepal, with support from WHO, has strengthened disease surveillance in flood-affected areas to detect potential outbreaks early and respond quickly.
Strengthening early warning and response
/countries/nepal/picture23173e129-027f-431f-83f3-7092229fce4e.jpg?sfvrsn=9505fa0d_4 "A WHO field team orients health workers deployed at a holding centre on syndromic surveillance and case reporting in an area affected by the 2026 floods in Nepal")
WHO field team orient health workers deployed at the holding center on syndromic surveillance and case reporting. Photo credit: WHO Nepal
Surveillance activities began in the early days of the flood response, guided by the post-disaster communicable disease surveillance and response plan developed by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) of the Department of Health Services. A team from EDCD, comprising officials trained through the Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) under a WHO-supported initiative, were deployed to strengthen surveillance and response efforts. WHO technical support, through mobilization of field medical officers, further supported health workers in affected areas report suspected cases and other public health signals daily, enabling authorities to identify unusual patterns and act quickly.
The system monitors warning signs of emerging health threats, including fever, acute gastroenteritis, respiratory symptoms, rash, jaundice, acute encephalitis syndrome and animal bites.
Reports come from functioning health facilities, holding centres, mobile medical teams and community networks. Event-based surveillance also captures signals from female community health volunteers, schools, veterinary services, media and other sources, while mortality and water quality are monitored alongside disease trends.
These reports are entered into Surveillance, Outbreak Response Management and Analytics System (SORMAS), a digital disease surveillance platform that helps health authorities monitor signals, verify unusual events and coordinate timely response. The platform was rolled out nationally last year with WHO support and the Pandemic Fund.
“We are not waiting for an outbreak to happen. We are strengthening surveillance now so that if an unusual cluster appears, local health authorities can identify it, investigate it and respond quickly,” says Dr Amrit Pokhrel, Section Chief at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, who has been supporting surveillance activities in affected areas.
From signal to action
/countries/nepal/picture3a17d07b7-6b9c-4d31-a1e5-ab3ea21a3fc8.jpg?sfvrsn=c0f913f9_6 "Surveillance teams from Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Food Safety, and WHO, engage with a person at a holding centre and provide guidance on mask use and appropriate respiratory hygiene")
Surveillance team interacting with a person at a holding center and providing guidance on mask use and appropriate respiratory hygiene. Photo credit: WHO Nepal
The value of the system was demonstrated on 4 September, when a higher-than-usual number of reports of fever with rash were recorded through SORMAS. EDCD and WHO field teams, together with the District Health Office, followed up with Bidur Municipality and health workers at the relevant holding centres to verify the reports and review the cases. The verification found that the reports did not indicate an outbreak of a common febrile rash illness; they included non-specific rashes, allergic rashes and cases consistent with hand, foot and mouth disease. Public health advice was provided, preventive measures were reinforced at the holding centres and monitoring continued for any additional cases.
WHO support on the ground
/countries/nepal/picture4c3e47439-5359-416b-b905-dc371f63aebe.jpg?sfvrsn=a054578b_4 "A WHO field team assesses damage caused by the 2026 floods in Nuwakot, Bagmati Province, Nepal")
WHO field team assessing the damage caused by the flood. Photo credit: WHO Nepal
WHO has deployed field medical officers to Nuwakot and Rasuwa, among the most affected districts, where they are working alongside local health teams to support disease surveillance and response. The teams are helping health workers apply standard reporting procedures, monitor public health risks and investigate suspected cases.
WHO is also providing diagnostic and response support to strengthen surveillance activities. More than 5000 rapid diagnostic test kits have been provided to the Department of Health Services for use in affected districts, supporting detection of diseases including dengue, malaria, scrub typhus, influenza A and B, and leptospirosis. Additional supplies, including cholera treatment kits and water-treatment materials, are being made available based on needs to enable rapid response when public health threats are identified.
“The floods have created new health risks, but they do not have to become disease outbreaks. Early detection, rapid verification and timely response are critical to protecting affected communities,” said Dr Allison Gocotano, Acting WHO Representative to Nepal.
Disease surveillance is one part of the wider health response following the floods. WHO is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Food Safety, EDCD, provincial and local health authorities, and Health Cluster partners to support the Government’s efforts to protect public health, maintain essential health services and reduce the risk of outbreaks as affected communities recover.