Mr Jiban Karki

Biography

Jiban Karki is a Global Health researcher with more than 25 years’ experience leading development organisations and managing research and development projects across multiple countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Senegal. He holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of Sheffield where he was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal in 2016 for his extraordinary humanitarian work during the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Currently Jiban works as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) where he lead qualitative and participatory research projects focused on health systems, disaster resilience, disability, assistive technology, urban health, and climate change. His work involves collaboration with international partners and leading monitoring, evaluation, and learning teams for large-scale research initiatives. Jiban is also the founder and Executive Director of PHASE Nepal, a national NGO that provides primary healthcare, education, and livelihood opportunities to remote communities in Nepal, and conducts research around health systems in the country.

Research interests

Jiban’s research focuses on health systems, disaster resilience, disability, assistive technology, urban health, and the intersection of climate change and health. He has led and contributed to numerous high-impact research projects, including the British Academy-funded study ‘Developing women’s role in policy-making processes: shaping gender equity and inclusiveness in climate action for health and wellbeing in Nepal’. He is also a Co-Investigator on the National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded project ‘Strengthening responsiveness of health service provision to extreme weather events for urban marginalized people’ which spans India, Kenya, and Sierra Leone.

Jiban has extensive experience in qualitative and participatory research methods, including key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and participatory video making. He has published in leading academic journals, covering topics such as the impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities, access to assistive technology, and the health risks faced by informal waste workers. His research is characterised by a focus on marginalised communities and emphasis on policy-relevant outcomes.

Teaching

Jiban has a strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of global health researchers. At LSTM he co-leads and teaches the qualitative methods in global health online module for the MSc Global Health program. He also contributes to the climate change and health module and supervises PhD and MSc students, guiding them through their dissertations and research projects. His philosophy in teaching is participatory learning and the application of research methods to real-world global health challenges. Jiban has conducted academic writing workshops for young researchers in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Kenya, helping them develop the skills needed to publish their work in peer-reviewed journals. He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He uses his research experience and experience of running primary health care interventions in his teaching, ensuring that students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical insights into global health issues.

Selected research publications

Healthcare in the Margins: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Access and Utilization in Bangladesh’s Informal Urban Settlements – Journal: Journal of Urban Health – Published: 18th December 2025

Occupational health risks and safety awareness among welders in Nepal, a qualitative study – Journal: BMJ Open – Published: 15th October 2025

Seven core competencies and conditions for equitable partnerships and power sharing in community-based participatory research – Journal: BMJ Global Health – Published: 17th November 2024

COVID-19 as a Challenge to Nepal’s Newly Federalized Health System: Capacities, Responsibilities, and Mindsets – Journal: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health – Published: 28th April 2024

Selection of Study Sites and Participants for Research into Nepal’s Federal Health System – Journal: WHO South-East Asia journal of public health – Published: 19th January 2024

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