“Always With Us in Good and Bad Times”: Nepal Health Minister Says India Helping With DNA Testing, Body Management

Nepal Health Minister Nisha Mehta said India has sent an expert team for DNA testing and is helping set up a laboratory as Nepal works to identify and manage bodies recovered after devastating floods.

 India is assisting Nepal with the identification and management of bodies recovered after the devastating floods, including through DNA testing and support for setting up a dedicated laboratory, Nepal Health Minister Nisha Mehta said on Wednesday.

Mehta said India had sent an expert team to assist with DNA testing and was also helping Nepal establish a laboratory for DNA-related work.

“The main issue was regarding the dead body management,” Mehta said, adding that the Indian team was assisting Nepal with the process.

India steps up assistance

Mehta described the support as part of the close relationship between the two neighbouring countries, saying India has stood with Nepal during both difficult and favourable times.

She said India's assistance was particularly important as authorities faced the challenge of identifying recovered bodies and ensuring they could be handed over to families.

According to Nepal Police figures cited in the report, the flood death toll had risen to 1,127 by Wednesday. Bodies had been recovered from several districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun, Nawalparasi East and Nawalparasi West, as well as nine recovered in India. 

However, identification remained a major challenge. Nepal Police said only 95 recovered bodies had been handed over to families after identification at the time of the report. 

Rescued people housed at holding centres

Mehta also said rescued people were being accommodated at holding centres, where authorities were taking care of their health needs.

She added that neighbouring countries were assisting Nepal with rescue operations and providing different forms of aid. International organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF were also working on the ground alongside Nepalese authorities and other responders.

The minister said the combined response was focused on making the best possible efforts amid the scale of the disaster.

India's assistance with DNA testing and laboratory infrastructure comes as Nepal continues the difficult task of identifying victims and reconnecting families with those who died in the floods.