KATHMANDU, July 4: The Medical Education Commission (MEC) has estimated that more than 250,000 health sector professionals will be needed by the fiscal year 2087/88. MEC made this projection on the basis of a study carried out in fiscal year 2077/78 BS.

A total of 358,938 health sector personnel, including female health volunteers and office assistants in government and private health institutions within the period would be needed, shared the Commission. Of them, 257,091 would be doctors and health workers.

Vice-Chairperson of the Commission, Prof Dr Sri Krishna Giri, mentioned that such a large number of human resources in the health sector was estimated based on the number of human resources to be retired and going abroad during the period as well as basic health institutions the government has been constructing. 

As per the World Health Organisation, it is considered good to have minimum 4.45 health workers per 1,000 population.

A total of 234,361 health professionals were needed in health institutions in fiscal year 2077/78 BS but only 178,309 were working during the period.

The Commission projected that 16,784 MBBS doctors, 15,435 specialist consultants (MD) and 411 nursing professionals will be needed by 2088 BS.

Similarly, 3359 nursing assistants (Bachelor level), 88024 nursing and obstetrics assistants (Certificate level), 2083 traditional and alternative medicine professionals (Bachelor's and Master's level), 2118 traditional and assistant physicians technical (Certificate level) will be required.

Likewise, 2688 people related to other health professions (Master's level), 23,150 professionals (Bachelor's level) in other health-related auxiliary professions and 104,039 human resources (Certificate level) in other health related auxiliary professions have to be produced by that period.

MEC stated that 57,043 Female Community Health Volunteers and office assistants, 44,800 cleaning staff and drivers would be required. The Council said 245,463 medical workers, 54,463 female health volunteers and 42,777 office assistants, sanitary staff and drivers will be needed in 2083 BS.

According to the MEC report, 7,659 medical human resources at the bachelor's level, 1,684 at the Master's level and 109 at levels higher than Master's level would be produced this year. Similarly, 12,102 health workers would be produced in 11 medium and basic level subjects including nursing, general medicine, dental science, ayurvedic health science, physiotherapy, pharmacy, among others.

Ten thousand one hundred and thirty-nine health facilities, including 7,889 government hospitals, the basic hospitals the government is constructing at the local level included and 2,250 hospitals in the private sector are in operation throughout the country at present.

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