KATHMANDU, May 26: Reproductive health rights apply equally to both men and women. However, according to the Nepal Medical Council and public health experts, Nepal lacks even a single specialist doctor in male reproductive and sexual health.
Public health expert Dr Laxmi Tamang said Nepal currently does not have any qualified specialists in male reproductive and sexual health. She said that none of the doctors currently providing related services in the country hold specialist qualifications in this field.
Dr Kalu Singh Khatri, a member of the Nepal Medical Council, recently stated at an event in the capital that the Council has not registered a single male reproductive and sexual health specialist (andrologist) so far. He noted that although Nepal lacks specialists in this field, doctors are still providing treatment for related conditions. He explained that other specialists have been handling these cases in the absence of andrologists. "Even though we don't have specialist doctors in this field, other physicians are providing treatment. Treatment hasn't come to a halt," he said. Khatri emphasized that having specialized doctors would ensure more focused and higher-quality services.
Both Tamang and Khatri noted that Nepal neither offers academic programs in this field nor has any qualified specialists. "In developed countries, expert doctors are available for every disease and body part. Nepal has yet to reach that stage," Khatri said. He argued that in a low-income country like Nepal, where specialist services are costly, doctors find it difficult to sustain a career in niche fields such as male reproductive and sexual health. As a result, Nepal still lacks andrologists.
Public health expert Tamang warns that the absence of a single specialist doctor for men, who make up 49 percent of the total population, puts men at risk. She explains that when men cannot access specialists in male reproductive health, they often turn to dermatologists or kidney and urinary disease specialists for treatment. "Men also face sexual and reproductive health problems, but they sometimes rely on dermatologists or urinary disease specialists for treatment," she said.
Tamang points out that men experience sexual and reproductive health issues just like women, but social and psychological stigma prevents them from openly discussing these problems. As a result, society often blames women for infertility. People also unfairly place the blame for male sexual dysfunction and other complications on women, which sometimes leads to divorce. She adds that the lack of dedicated research on this topic limits public awareness. Tamang said, "Problems related to sexual relationships may have contributed to the 40,000 divorces in Nepal last year."
Tamang says that although Nepal has developed sufficient policies and programs to support women's sexual and reproductive rights, the government has neglected to create similar provisions and programs for men, causing men to suffer violations of these rights. She argues that Nepal must train and appoint at least some specialist doctors in male reproductive health. "Men also deserve the right to receive treatment for reproductive and sexual health problems. They face these issues but do not speak out," she said.