KATHMANDU, Nov 29:  Kathmandu University (KU) is all set to take action soon against doctors who were found involved in plagiarism.

Following the publication of a series of news reports in Republica and Nagarik dailies regarding plagiarism, KU has begun the process for taking action against some medical college lecturers who plagiarised the published reports of research work carried out by others.

“We have already started the process for taking action against those who violated ethics [by plagiarising research work],” said Dr Dipak Shrestha, associate dean at KU. “We have issued letters seeking clarification from them,” he said adding, “We also visited the medical colleges to which those accused of plagiarism are associated ."  He also said that these doctors were under contract. 

“We will decide about the issue within two weeks. If their contract periods are ending soon, we will not renew the contracts. If they  have long-term contracts, we will terminate them.”

Some teaching doctors at Nepalgunj Medical College and Manipal Medical College, which are affiliated to KU, produced a research report that was copied from a Nigerian research paper.

A research paper titled 'DYSLIPIDEMIA IN TYPE-2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS IN WESTERN  NEPAL: A Hospital Based Study' was published by Doctors MK Shrewastwa, lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur; C Thanpari, also a lecturer at the same Department of Biochemistry;  NK Yadav, lecturer at Department of Biochemistry, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara; RK Mittal, professor and head of Department of Biochemistry, Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur, Nepal; and V Rohil, assistant professor at Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi.

This research paper was copied entirely from a paper titled 'Dyslipidemias in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Nnewi South-East Nigeria', which was published in the Annals of African Medicine Vol 10, No 4; 2011 by a  research team in Nigeria. 

Similarly, another research paper titled,  'A prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Kathmandu University Hospital, Nepal', which was authored by doctors Madhukar Aryal, Prabin Gyawali, Nirakar Rajbhandari and Pratibha Aryal and  published in the  Biomedical Research journal in 2010  was plagiarized and published as 'A Prevalence of Thyroid Disorder in Western Part of Nepal' by doctors Raj Kumar Yadav of Gangalal Medical College, Namrata Thapa Magar of Gandaki Medical College, Bibek Paudel of Manipal College of Medical Sciences, all in Pokhara, Naval Kishor Yadav of Manipal College of Medical Sciences, and Binod Kumar Yadav of the Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu.

Likewise, a research paper titled 'Association of Thyroid Dysfunction among Infertile Women Visiting Infertility Center of Om Hospital, Kathmandu Nepal' and authored by Dr Bhola Rijal, Dr R Shrestha and Dr Bharat Jha was plagiarised in a paper titled 'Association of Thyroid Dysfunction Among Infertile Women Visiting Nepalgunj Medical College Hospital, Kohalpur, Nepal'. This plagiarised paper was published jointly by doctors Mukesh Kumar Shreewastawa,  C Thanpari,  RK Goit,  NK Yadav,  RK Mittal and  V Rohil.

Dr Rajendra Koju, dean of KU, said that they will take action against Shreewastawa,  Thanpari,  Goit, and  Mittal,  who are associated with medical colleges affiliated to KU. “We cannot take action against the others as they belong to other universities,” he added.