Government of Nepal Grants Key Environmental Approval for $30 Million Binaytara Cancer Hospital, Madhesh Province's First Comprehensive Cancer Center

Milestone EIA clearance brings Binaytara one step closer to starting construction on the 200-bed facility, which will serve a catchment population of 25 million across southern Nepal and northern India.

JANAKPUR, Nepal, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Binaytara, a global oncology nonprofit working to eliminate cancer disparities, today announced that the Government of Nepal has granted Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval for the construction of the Binaytara Cancer Hospital, a $30 million, 200-bed comprehensive cancer facility in Janakpur, Madhesh Province. The clearance, issued by the Ministry of Forests and Environment, removes one of the final major regulatory hurdles for the project.

The EIA approval is the culmination of years of coordination between Binaytara's Nepal team and multiple government entities and stakeholders involved in the project approval process. The EIA approval marks a major milestone toward establishing Madhesh Province's first comprehensive cancer hospital, bringing the project one step closer to construction. The hospital will serve a region of more than six million people in Nepal's most densely populated province.

"This approval is a defining moment for cancer care in Nepal," said Dr. Binay Shah, Co-Founder and President of Binaytara. "We are one giant step closer to building a state-of-the-art hospital for people in Madhesh that will provide treatment in their own community, in their own language, alongside their families. I want to thank our incredible team, partners, and the Government of Nepal for helping expand access to cancer care."

Why this milestone matters for global health

The new hospital will serve a nearby population of roughly 25 million people across southern Nepal and the neighboring Indian state of Bihar — one of the most densely populated and medically underserved regions in South Asia. Nepal sees more than 22,000 new cancer cases each year, and an estimated 47% of cancer patients in low-and-middle-income countries die from preventable, late-stage disease driven by delayed diagnosis and lack of access to treatment.

The facility will offer services currently unavailable anywhere in Madhesh Province, including radiation oncology and brachytherapy, surgical oncology, advanced imaging, and a comprehensive palliative care program. At full capacity, the hospital is projected to serve approximately 25,000 patients annually. Community engagement programs of this world-class facility will also vastly improve awareness and education about cancer. There are still a lot of stigmas and myths about cancer that contribute to people being hesitant to see a doctor.

The project also positions Madhesh as a hub for oncology workforce development in South Asia. Plans include training programs for Nepali oncologists, nurses, and allied health professionals — a model Binaytara is now beginning to replicate through its work in Nigeria and other low-resource settings.

"EIA approval confirms that the project meets the Government of Nepal's environmental and public health standards," said Hari Tiwari, Country Director for Binaytara in Nepal. "Getting here required numerous meetings, technical filings, and consultations with federal ministries, provincial government, and local leadership in Janakpur. I am deeply grateful to every official and community member who engaged with this process so thoroughly."

Binaytara has operated the existing Binaytara Cancer Center in Janakpur since 2018. The new hospital, to be built a few miles from the current site, represents a massive expansion in inpatient capacity and a major leap in service breadth.

This hospital will establish a benchmark in cancer treatment in Nepal. For the first time in Nepal's building construction sector, base isolation technology will be applied, which will help protect patients and the building from earthquakes.

"For patients in Madhesh, this project means the chance to receive cancer treatment closer to home," Tiwari added. "No woman with breast cancer should have to travel for hours to Kathmandu or across the border to India just to access radiotherapy. This approval brings us one step closer to making quality cancer care available to everyone in this region, regardless of where they live or what they can afford."

About Binaytara

Binaytara is a global oncology nonprofit dedicated to eliminating disparities in cancer care through clinical services, education, research, and advocacy. Founded by Dr. Binay Shah and Tara Shah, Binaytara operates the only cancer hospital in Nepal's Madhesh Province, runs accredited continuing medical education programs for oncology professionals worldwide, and partners with institutions across Nepal, Nigeria and the United States. Learn more about Binaytara's work in Nepal at binaytara.org/project-nepal.

SOURCE Binaytara