• The chief responsibility of this Directorate is to formulate national policies and directions on animal health based on the guidelines prepared by Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. It formulates both short term and long term plans based on approved policies and carries out regular monitoring and evaluation of the running and accomplished projects and prepares future policies.

• Prepares programmes to control and eradicate important livestock diseases.

• Prepares norms and guidelines for all the programs related to animal health to be implemented in all parts of country. It helps to implement programmes primarily on district level.

There are many sections under this directorate, which has different purposes and responsibilities. The sections and their main functions are stated below.


A. Central Veterinary Hospital
• Acquires/obtains latest knowledge, skills and technical information on Veterinary medicine, surgery and gynaecology and provides effective veterinary services to the people. It works as the national referal center for the livestock diseases.

B. National FMD and Epidemic Control Office
• Carries out virus typing for the detailed study of FMD
• Produces FMD Vaccine.
• Formulates and implements national level stratigies to eradicate FMD

C. Central Biological Production Laboratory
• Produces and disributes vaccines against important diseases of livestock.
• Controls vaccine quality

D. Rabies Vaccine Production Laboratory
• Produces vaccine against rabies; test and control the quality of rabies vaccine.

E. Central Animal Disease Investigation Laboratory
• Develops and updates livestock and poultry disease diagnostic technologies.
• Carries out disease diagnostic activities.
• Works as the national reference laboratory.
• Disseminates animal health information on national and international level.

F. Central Animal Quarantine Office

• Works as the national center of O.I.E.
• Circulate necessary guidelines for effective implementation of quarantine act and provide technical knowledge.

G. Regional diseases diagnostic laboratories (5)
• Works as the regional referal lab
• Maintains and updates epidemiological data of the region.
• Conducts disease diagnostic trainings.

H. Animal Quarantine Offices (8)
• Inspects livestocks, its products and raw materials of livestock related industries that are imported and exported and issues health/sanitation certficates.
• Implement animal qurantine act in the areas as specified by the act.

I. Veterinary Standards and Drug Administration Office

• Quality management of veterinary drugs, biologicals, food and additives
• Implementation of Acts and regulations related to livestock health and services
• Preparation of policy, strategy, standards related to quality aspects and monitor and supervise.
• Regularize and monitor the import, export and use of veterinary drugs, biologicals, food and additives.

J. Veterinary Public Health Office

Objectives :
• To protect the consumers from the high risk of animal food origins.
• To support health of consumers by controlling zoonoses.
• To save the consumers from the frauds.
• To support environmental conservation through controlling environmental polution.

Programs :
• Identify and record the existing zoonoses in Nepal.
• Make plan of zoonotic diseases control program.
• Organise training for butchers, meat business personnel, staffs on production of healthy meat for consumers.
• Make awareness program on zoonotic diseases on different levels.
• Monitor the residues of antibiotics in poultry meat.
• Motivate the local institutions to establish slaughterhouses.

K. Veterinary Epidemiology Centre.