Amit Bhandari is a senior international health, nutrition and development specialist with more than 20 years of experience in health systems strengthening, health policy and financing, primary health care, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, health security, and governance.

A Public Health Physician by training, Amit combines strategic policy expertise with strong experience in evaluation, research and programme design. He has led and contributed to global, regional and country-level evaluations, assessments, political economy analyses and mixed-methods studies for organizations including UNICEF, WHO, Gavi, DFID/FCDO, USAID, UNFPA and KfW. His work spans health systems performance, primary health care, health financing, universal health coverage, quality of care, health workforce development, and health system resilience.

He has worked as an independent consultant for six years serving in over 40 short- to medium-term strategic consulting assignments for governments as well as non-governmental and international organisations. Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Amit served as Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank and held senior advisory positions with DFID/FCDO in Nepal, Sierra Leone, Liberia and South Sudan, where he led large-scale health sector programmes and policy reforms. He has also worked with German Agency for Technical Coperation and Save the Children in advisory and portfolio leadership positions.

Since joining hera as an expert in 2024, he has contributed to several major assignments, including UNICEF’s Global Evaluation of Primary Health Care, WHO’s evaluation of the Leadership for Universal Health Coverage programme, the mid-term evaluation of LuxDev’s Health and Nutrition Programme in Lao PDR, and strategy development work for UNICEF Liberia. He became a hera Partner in 2026.

He has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and technical reports and is recognised for his ability to translate complex evidence into actionable policy and programme recommendations.

He has worked extensively across Asia and Africa, including long-term assignments in Nepal, Sierra Leone and South Sudan, and shorter-term engagements in Cambodia, Laos, Liberia, Pakistan and other countries.

Amit is fluent in English and Nepali with some proficiency in Hindi, and is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.