Nepal MICS 2024–25: Child Health, Nutrition and Household Survey Findings

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey is a household survey designed to describe the situation of children and women and support Sustainable Development Goal monitoring. Nepal’s 2024–25 round was conducted by the National Statistics Office in partnership with UNICEF. The findings report was published in February 2026; that publication date must not be mistaken for the fieldwork period.

The survey uses the 2021 census as its sampling frame. Questionnaires cover households, women and men aged 15–49, children under five, and children aged 5–17. Water-quality testing is conducted in a subsample. Different indicators therefore have different eligible populations and sample sizes.

The indicator summary reports 26.2% stunting, 6.6% wasting and 16.9% underweight among children under five for the moderate-and-severe categories combined. Stunting compares height for age, wasting compares weight for height, and underweight compares weight for age with the WHO child growth standard. The threshold in each case is below minus two standard deviations; the severe category uses below minus three.

These measures overlap and must not be added together as a combined malnutrition rate. They describe different aspects of growth and nutrition. They do not establish an individual child’s diagnosis or the cause of a population difference. Use table TC.8.1 and its notes for subgroup estimates, eligibility and uncertainty before using the figures in a policy brief.

The implementation summary records 12,960 sampled households, 12,862 occupied households and 12,802 interviewed households. The household completion rate is 98.8%, while the household response rate is 99.5%. These are different measures with different denominators, not conflicting estimates.

Use survey weights and the complex sample design for secondary analysis. Provincial, wealth, sex or age comparisons should carry the report’s relevant confidence intervals and eligibility rules. A national estimate is not evidence that each district has the same prevalence.

MICS can inform nutrition priorities, maternal and child health planning, WASH analysis and equity monitoring. Select the indicator that answers the planning question, then record its definition, population, fieldwork period and table identifier. Pair population-survey evidence with routine service records when asking whether a programme reaches people.

Do not claim a trend from a comparison with DHS or an earlier MICS round until questionnaires, age ranges, recall periods, definitions and sampling uncertainty have been checked. Observed differences do not by themselves establish programme impact.

National Statistics Office (NSO), 2026. Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2024–25, Survey Findings Report. Kathmandu, Nepal and UNICEF Nepal. For a specific figure, add the table number, indicator definition and fieldwork period.

This article summarizes selected verifiable material from the report’s introductory and indicator-summary pages. It does not substitute for the full results, questionnaires or sampling-error appendices. The download below is the user-supplied original report, while the UNICEF link provides the official publication record.