Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Nepal
Nepal: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category was 8.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
Change on year
up 48.4%
World rank
35th
of 46 countries
All-time high
23.12 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
in 2021
All-time low
5.88 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
in 2022
Years of data
8
2016–2023
Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Nepal, 2016–2023
Source: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 8.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day for antibiotic usage by surveillance category in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 48.4% on the previous year and down 33.1% over ten years.
Nepal ranks 35th of 46 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Nepal, year by year
| Year | defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 13.04 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | — |
| 2017 | 16.14 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +23.7% |
| 2018 | 12.41 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -23.1% |
| 2019 | 15.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +26.8% |
| 2020 | 17.21 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +9.4% |
| 2021 | 23.12 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +34.4% |
| 2022 | 5.88 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -74.6% |
| 2023 | 8.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | +48.4% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 8.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.75 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 81% of the median. (9 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14.33 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 12.41 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 16.14 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 4 |
| 2020s | 13.74 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 5.88 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 23.12 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 32 Slovenia 10.02 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 33 Finland 9.83 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 34 Norway 9.68 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 36 Armenia 8.7 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 37 Estonia 8.28 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 38 Germany 8.22 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
More reference data data for Nepal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7753 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7853 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7974 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.28 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Nepal?
- Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Nepal was 8.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2023, according to WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 23.12 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2021.
- What is the lowest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.88 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2022.
- How does Nepal rank for antibiotic usage by surveillance category?
- Nepal ranks 35th out of 46 countries with data for 2023.
- Is antibiotic usage by surveillance category rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Antibiotic usage by surveillance category. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total defined daily doses of AWaRe category: Access used per 1000 inhabitants per day. Access antibiotics have activity against a wide range of common pathogens and show lower resistance potential than antibiotics in the other groups.