KATHMANDU, JULY 2 Nepal has launched its first integrated Mountain Rescue Training programme, bringing together technical rescue specialists and high-altitude medical professionals in a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening mountain safety and disaster response in the Himalayas. The eight-day training, organised by the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) Nepal with support from the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), began in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The programme has brought together personnel from the Nepal Police Disaster Management Section, professional mountain guides, mountaineers and medical doctors. According to the organisers, the training is the first in Nepal to combine technical mountain rescue operations with advanced mountain medicine under a single curriculum, addressing the need for coordinated rescue efforts in high-altitude emergencies. The technical rescue component is being conducted by the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA), with instruction from International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA)-certified mountain guides. The medical sessions are being led by doctors with expertise in high-altitude emergency medicine. Participants will receive hands-on training in crevasse rescue, steep-terrain evacuations, management of high-altitude illnesses and disaster response protocols, equipping them with skills needed for complex rescue missions in Nepal's mountainous terrain. HRA said the initiative reflects the growing importance of enhancing rescue preparedness as Nepal continues to attract thousands of trekkers and climbers each year. The organisation expressed gratitude to the Nepal Tourism Board for supporting mountain safety initiatives and to the NNMGA for partnering in the implementation of the training. Established in 1973, the Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal is a non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries in the Nepal Himalayas. It operates seasonal aid posts in Manang and Pheriche and runs the Everest ER medical camp, providing high-altitude medical care and promoting safety awareness among trekkers, climbers and local communities.