KATHMANDU, Aug 30: Dr Govinda KC, a senior orthopedic surgeon and professor at the Institute of Medicine (IOM), has urged lawmakers to endorse the National Medical Education Bill, which is under discussion in parliament, as per the agreement reached between the government and him a month ago.
The Education and Health Committee of the parliament had invited Dr KC at the committee meeting on Wednesday for discussion to seek suggestions from him and other experts.
Presenting his statement in writing at the meeting, Dr KC said, "I hope the parliament will endorse the National Health Education Bill 2018 soon by including my demands without making any changes as signed in the agreement."
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Stating that as the country currently now a communist government with two-thirds majority, Dr KC said 80 percent of people live in the rural areas of the country and that they face acute problems of health services.
"It is shameful to ignore the need of quality health and education for the people of a democratic country by the government of a socialist or communist party while the Constitution of Nepal has defined the country as a socialism-oriented state,” said Dr KC.
The parliament committee sought feedbacks from experts of the task force led by Prof Kedar Bhakta Mathema, former vice chancellor of Tribhuvan University and other experts on Tuesday. The task force was mandated to study and offer recommendations to solve the anomalies in health and medical education sector. Members of the task force included former vice chancellor of Kathmandu University Prof Dr Suresh Raj Sharma; former deans of Institute of Medicine (IOM) Dr Madan Upadhyay and Dr Ramesh Kant Adhikari; former vice chancellor of Patan Academy of Health Sciences Dr Arjun Karki; former director of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital Dr Bhagwan Koirala; joint-secretary at the Ministry of Education Dr Hari Prasad Lamsal; and joint-secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Guna Raj Lohani.
Dr KC staged 15 fast-unto-deaths since 2012, demanding major reforms in the health and medical education sector. After expiry of an ordinance that was renewed twice, the present government has sent the Bill in the parliament as per the latest agreement signed with Dr KC on July 26.
Dr KC's demands include 75 percent scholarships in government-run medical colleges, restriction to issue affiliation to medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley for 10 years, a university issuing affiliation to only five medical colleges, three-year operation of hospital to get affiliation for medical colleges and opening at least a government medical college in each of the seven provinces.
