For Professor Jha the work of doctors between a patient's life and death requires a balance of strong professional ability and empathy. This is a requirement he takes seriously throughout his work in Nepal.

 

He is a man who wears many hats. Currently, Professor Jha is the Head of the Neurosurgery Department at Bir Hospital, the largest government hospital in Nepal, where he has served for 26 years. He also works part time at Norvic International Hospital, where he has served for 12 years, and serves as President of the Nepalese Society of Neurosurgeons(NESON), a position to which he was elected two years ago. 

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The road to his success in neurosurgery was not always easy – for Professor Jha, it was his own version of climbing Mount Everest. Following his graduation from medical school, it took Professor Jha almost 13 years to become a neurosurgeon due to the requirements at that time. 

 

Throughout his childhood, Professor Jha moved frequently due to his father’s work. This meant that he studied at home until Grade 3, after which he and his twin brother were enrolled in the schools in towns where their father worked until high school, which he completed in Kathmandu. Afterwards, he moved to Russia to complete his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), then a six year degree. After his degree, he returned to Nepal to complete his studies and begin working at Bir Hospital.

 

For Professor Jha, it has always been important to give back to the people of Nepal. “I am happy in my own country,” he stated, “and we are responsible for making our own future.” After earning a prestigious American Association of Neurology Award to study in California, he began receiving offers to practice in India and Russia, he has remained dedicated to serving in his home country.

 

To Professor Jha, the biggest issues in his field in Nepal are the lack of trained neurosurgeons and lack of resources to perform surgeries with. When he began his career in medicine, there were only five neurosurgeons in Nepal. Before specializing, he had the opportunity to train across different departments and saw firsthand how a lack of neurosurgical service in Nepal was impacting the population. His mentor at the time convinced him to join the neurosurgery department full time and specialize, and he remains there to this day. 

 

In his career, Dr. Jha has led more than 22,000 successful brain, spine, and peripheral nerve surgeries. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, published over 75 scientific papers, and presented at over 200 national and international conferences.