I am Dr. Akanand Singh, a pioneer in liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgery in Nepal.
Dr Akanand Singh, MD, PhD, is one of Nepal’s most renowned and pioneering hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgeons. He is widely respected for his surgical expertise, academic achievements, and leadership in the field of transplant medicine.
Over the years, Dr Akanand Singh has played a significant role in advancing liver transplantation and hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery in Nepal. Through extensive international training and years of clinical experience, he has contributed greatly to strengthening Nepal’s capacity to perform complex liver surgeries and life-saving transplant procedures.
His dedication to patient care, surgical innovation, and medical education has made Dr Akanand Singh one of the most respected specialists in the field of hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgery.
Throughout his career, Dr Akanand Singh has been recognized for introducing advanced surgical techniques, mentoring young surgeons, and helping develop modern transplant programs in Nepal. His work has improved access to specialized surgical care for patients suffering from severe liver diseases and complex gastrointestinal conditions.
Currently, Dr Akanand Singh serves as Faculty of Surgery and Consultant Hepatobiliary & Liver Transplant Surgeon at KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Lalitpur, Nepal. In this role, he provides advanced surgical treatment for patients while also contributing to medical education by teaching and mentoring future surgeons.
In addition to his responsibilities at KIST Medical College, Dr Akanand Singh also serves as a Visiting Consultant Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplant Surgeon at Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Lalitpur. Through his work at these institutions, he continues to deliver specialized surgical care to patients suffering from complex liver and gastrointestinal diseases.
Beyond his clinical duties, Dr Akanand Singh is also the Chairman of Liver Transplant Nepal. This initiative focuses on improving awareness, accessibility, and the quality of liver transplant services across the country.
Through this platform, he actively promotes the development of transplant medicine in Nepal and supports efforts to make life-saving liver transplant procedures more accessible to patients.
One of the most defining aspects of Dr Akanand Singh’s career has been his leadership in advancing liver transplant surgery in Nepal.
He is among the select few surgeons in Nepal who are personally licensed by the Government of Nepal to perform liver transplant surgery. This distinction highlights his advanced expertise and qualifications in one of the most specialized areas of modern medicine.
His work has significantly expanded the scope of transplant medicine in Nepal, bringing modern surgical solutions to patients who previously had limited treatment options.
A major milestone in his career occurred in 2021, when Dr Akanand Singh led the establishment of the first Liver Transplant Program outside Kathmandu at Chitwan Medical College.
This achievement represented an important step forward for Nepal’s healthcare system. It helped decentralize transplant services and enabled patients outside the capital city to receive specialized treatment closer to home.
Another historic achievement came in 2023, when Dr Akanand Singh and his surgical team successfully performed Nepal’s first Living Donor Combined Liver–Kidney Transplant (CLKT) at KIST Medical College and Teaching Hospital.
This highly complex procedure involved transplanting both the liver and kidney from a living donor into a patient. The successful completion of this surgery marked a major advancement in Nepal’s transplant medicine capabilities.
The achievement was officially recognized by the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health and Population, and was included in the national progress report for the year 2080 B.S.
Through these pioneering efforts, Dr Akanand Singh has played a central role in establishing Nepal as an emerging center for advanced hepatobiliary and transplant surgery in South Asia.
Dr Akanand Singh specializes in a wide range of complex surgical procedures related to the liver, pancreas, bile ducts, and gastrointestinal system.
His extensive experience enables him to treat patients with highly complicated medical conditions that require specialized surgical intervention.
The surgical expertise of Dr Akanand Singh includes:
Liver Transplant Surgery
Living Donor Liver Transplantation
Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) Surgery
Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery
Complex Liver Tumor Surgery
Pancreatic Surgery
Biliary Tract Surgery
Advanced Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery
These procedures are commonly required for patients suffering from:
Chronic liver disease
Liver failure
Liver cancer
Pancreatic tumors
Bile duct disorders
Complex gastrointestinal diseases
By combining modern surgical techniques with advanced diagnostic technologies, Dr Akanand Singh ensures that patients receive safe, effective, and internationally comparable medical care.
To further strengthen his expertise, Dr Akanand Singh has undergone extensive international training at several of the world’s most prestigious medical institutions.
Dr Akanand Singh received advanced training at the Mayo Clinic, one of the world’s most respected healthcare institutions.
During this training, he worked under the mentorship of Dr Patrick P. Starlinger, a globally recognized hepatobiliary surgeon known for his contributions to liver surgery and transplant medicine.
He further expanded his expertise at the Cleveland Clinic, where he trained under Dr Koji Hashimoto, Director of Liver Transplantation.
The Cleveland Clinic is internationally recognized for its advanced transplant programs and innovative surgical techniques.
Dr Akanand Singh also received specialized training at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, India, where he trained under Dr Neerav Goyal, one of India’s leading liver transplant surgeons.
Another important stage of training for Dr Akanand Singh took place at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, home to one of the largest liver transplant centers in the world.
Here, he trained under Dr Ki-Hun Kim, Professor and Director of the Asan Liver Center.
Through these international training experiences, Dr Akanand Singh gained exposure to advanced surgical technologies, innovative transplant techniques, and multidisciplinary patient care systems.
The academic journey of Dr Akanand Singh reflects a strong commitment to medical excellence and scientific research.
He began his medical education at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in China, which is widely recognized as the largest hospital in the world, with a capacity exceeding 10,000 beds.
There, he completed his Bachelor in Clinical Medicine in 2009, establishing the foundation for his future career in surgery.
Following his undergraduate training, Dr Akanand Singh pursued advanced surgical education at Chongqing Medical University in China, where he completed:
Master’s Degree in General Surgery (2013)
PhD in Hepatobiliary Surgery (2016)
His doctoral research was conducted under the mentorship of Professor Gong Jianping, one of the most respected figures in hepatobiliary surgery and medical research in China.
During his academic training, Dr Akanand Singh was honored with the Distinguished International Student Award from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
Alongside his clinical practice, Dr Akanand Singh is also an active academic surgeon and researcher.
His research contributions have been published in several internationally recognized medical journals, including:
Transplantation
Gut
Journal of Inflammation Research
Pediatric Transplantation
These publications reflect his commitment to advancing knowledge in liver transplantation, hepatobiliary surgery, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Dr Akanand Singh is also a contributing author to the internationally published medical textbook:
Clinical Nutrition: The Interface Between Metabolism, Diet, and Disease
Published by Apple Academic Press, USA.
The contributions of Dr Akanand Singh to surgical science and medical innovation have been recognized through several prestigious awards.
Awarded by the International Liver Transplant Society (ILTS) for outstanding research contributions.
Granted by the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), allowing further international collaboration with experts at the Mayo Clinic, USA.
Presented by the President of Nepal, this award represents one of the highest academic honors in the country.
Dr Akanand Singh actively participates in several national and international surgical organizations.
These memberships allow him to remain connected with global advancements in surgical science and transplant medicine.
His memberships include:
Society of Surgeons of Nepal (SSN) – Life Member
Nepalese Association of Surgical Gastroenterology (NASG) – Life Member
Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India (AMASI) – Life Member
Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) – Active Member
International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) – Active Member
International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA) – Active Member
International Society of Liver Surgeons (ISLS) – Active Member
Nepal Medical Association (NMA) – Life Member
Dr Akanand Singh is fluent in multiple languages, allowing him to communicate effectively with a diverse group of patients and international colleagues.
He speaks:
English
Nepali
Chinese
Hindi
The career of Dr Akanand Singh reflects a rare combination of global expertise and national dedication.
By integrating international training with the needs of Nepal’s healthcare system, he has introduced advanced surgical techniques that have significantly improved patient outcomes.
In addition to performing complex surgeries, Dr Akanand Singh remains deeply committed to:
Training young surgeons
Mentoring medical students
Advancing transplant medicine in Nepal
Through his dedication, leadership, and surgical excellence, Dr Akanand Singh continues to redefine the standards of hepatobiliary and liver transplant surgery in Nepal.
Patients seeking consultation with Dr Akanand Singh can contact NIHS directly using the number below.
Mobile: +977 9818300888