Pratik Adhikary

Dr Pratik Adhikary

Senior Researcher
Institution: Green Tara Nepal
Current Institution Location: Nepal

Email: adpratik30@gmail.com
Phone Number:  977-1-4432698
Website: Go to website

Address:
GPO 8974, CPC 158, Kathmadu, Nepal

Migration Health Research Area/Expertise
I have recently completed my PhD in Public health from Bournemouth University, UK. My PhD project was on ''Health Status of and Health Risks to Male Nepalese Migrant Workers in the Middle East and Malaysia''. The analyses of this study were recently published in International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care and Health Prospect (Public Health Journal) while others are still in the place of publication. I have also been involved with other research projects during my MSc on ''Health and Life Style of Nepalese Migrants in the UK'' in 2007. The findings of this MSc study have been published in the Open Access journal BMC International Health and Human Rights.

Currently, I have worked as a senior researcher for a Green Tara Nepal for more than one years. Now, I am coordinating for a Bournemouth University, UK funded project for " Mental health risk factors in Nepalese labour migrant workers and their perceptions of potential elements on mental health needed in pre-departure training". I am also coordinating for an International Organization for Migration (IOM) funded project on ''Health Vulnerabilities of Cross Border Migrants from Nepal'' which is conducted in six districts of Nepal. My long-term goal is to engage in the academic and research sector. Thus, I expect to involve in the research focusing on migration and health nationally and internationally.

In the recent decades, Nepal has emerged as one of the key labour-sending countries for foreign employment, primarily in Malaysia, the six countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and India. Most are involved in semi-skilled or unskilled labour, mainly on building sites, in factories and in domestic work. Remittance is a mainstay of Nepalese economy in the present time contributing 32% of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which amounted to US$6.73 billion in 2015 (World Bank, 2015).

Migration-related existing policies and acts in Nepal have not adequately emphasized the potential of returnee migrants to achieve the developmental goal. The key migration related government instruments: Foreign Employment Act 2007, Foreign Employment Rules 2008 and Foreign Employment Policy 2012 are targeted to out-going migrants only and primarily focused on effective management of foreign employment and welfare of migrant workers. Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) is an official government entity to implement skill transfer activities of returnee migrants, however, no significant activities have been carried out thus far. There is no mechanism for collecting information on skills of returnee migrants and assisting them to re-integrate in domestic workforce. Few non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have initiated training on enterprises development and mentorship programs but this is limited and unable to meet the broader needs (Sijapati et al., 2015).

Thus, my main interests to examine new skills of Nepalese returnee migrants, their employment prospects in Nepal, applicability and portability of acquired skills in Nepalese labour market, the tendency towards setting up enterprises or self-employment or re-migration, and challenges and barriers to re-integrate in the workforce.

Research Focus/Expertise on Relevant Migrant Categories
Internal Migration
Migrant Workers (Adults, Elderly)
Students (Adolescents, Adults)

International/Cross-Border Migration
International migrant workers (Adults)
International students (Adolescents, Adults)
Seasonal farm workers (Adults)

Relevant Publications

Title Author Year Published Link to Publication
A survey of health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia and the Middle East Adhikary P, Sheppard ZA, Keen S, & van Teijlingen E
Risky work: accidents among Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia and the Middle East Adhikary P, Sheppard ZA, Keen S, & van Teijlingen E
Injury and Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers Aryal N, Regmi PR, van Teijlingen E, Simkhada P, Adhikary P, Bhatta YK, & Mann S
Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in the Middle East Adhikary P, Keen S, & van Teijlingen E
Alcohol use Nepalese in the UK van Teijlingen E, Simkhada P, & Adhikary P
Health and Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the United Kingdom Adhikary P, Simkhada PP, van Teijlingen ER, & Raja AE

Relevant Projects

Title Year Published Region/Country Role in the Project Main Outcome Link to Study Reports and publications
A Study on Mental health of spouses of Nepalese labour migrants in Nawalparasi district Co-Investigator
A Study on health vulnerabilities of cross border migrants from Nepal Asia and the Pacific
Nepal
Principal Investigator
Mental health risk factors in Nepalese labour migrant workers and their perceptions of potential elements on mental health needed in pre-departure training Asia and the Pacific
Nepal
Co-Investigator
Health status of and health risks to male Nepalese migrants in the Middle East and Malaysia Asia and the Pacific
Nepal
Principal Investigator Poor health, perceived health risks, mental health, access to health care, accidents at work, living & working condition
Health and Lifestyle of Nepalese immigrants in United Kingdom European Economic Area
United Kingdom
Principal Investigator Alcohol consumption, smoking habit, poor health, registration with a general practitioner and a dentist, irregular exercise