Making public the report prepared by the committee formed to work out a national policy on medical education, the cabinet's social committee on Tuesday constituted a sub-committee to formulate an action plan that will implement the policy on medical education within the next 30 days.The sub-committee is led by National Planning Commission (NPC) memberYagya Bahadur Karki, with the secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, Education and Health as members.
The Mathema committee had submitted its report to Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on June 29. But despite pressure from various quarters to make the report public, the government had been reluctant to do so.
The government's latest announcement comes at a time when crusader for medical reform Dr Govinda K.C has been repeatedly threatening to stage another fast-unto-death if the suggestions of the Mathema committee on medical education policy are not implemented.
Uttar Kumar Khatri, spokesperson at the Prime Minister's Office, said that the sub-committee will now carry out necessary study and discussions with stakeholders and prepare an action plan for implementing the suggestions of the committee within a month.
Prime Minister Koirala, who is chancellor of all universities in the country, had formed the eight member high-level committee led by former vice chancellor of Tribhuvan University Kedar Bhakta Mathema on November 17, 2014 to draft policy on medical education. Koirala did so after Dr Govinda K.C refused to call off his fast-unto-death if the government did not formulate a strict policy for regulating medical colleges in the country.
The committee, which prepared its report over seven months, has suggested that the government establish a single autonomous medical education commission for regulating medical education. Currently, there are separate councils for regulating medical education, health professionals, nursing, pharmacy and ayurvedic medicine.
Likewise, the committee also recommended to the government not to grant affiliation to colleges in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts for running bachelor's level programs in medicine, dentistry and nursing for the next 10 years.
The report also says that the government should establish at least one public health education institution which runs bachelor's level programs in medicine in each of the development regions.
Likewise, the committee has suggested capping the fees for MBBS programs at Rs 3.5 million. Medical colleges in the country have been charging MBBS students up to Rs 4.5 million.
The report has called for merit-based admissions in both government medical colleges as well as private ones.
The report is available here.
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