JUMLA, Dec 31: The senate meeting of the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS) has decided to run Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) courses in the academy from the current fiscal year, officials said on Monday.

“The decision is expected to bring sea change to the health sector in the Karnali Province,” Bishwaraj Kaphle, registrar at the KAHS, told Republica.

Earlier, the academy had acquired permission to run Doctor of Medicine in General Practices and Emergency Medicine (MDGP) course.

The senate meeting has appointed Dr Ganesh Gurung as the chairperson of the KAHS selection committee, Dr Tarun Poudel as member and KAHS registrar as the member secretary of the committee.

The senate meeting also approved a five-year master plan for the academy. A budget of Rs 690 million has been earmarked for the academy for the current fiscal year alone, according to registrar Kaphle.

KAHS office bearers including Minister for Health Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal and vice-chancellor of the academy Dr Rajendra Wagle were among others present at the meeting held at Baluwatar in Kathmandu. The senate meeting also approved the academy’s audit report for the Fiscal Year 2074/75 and 2075/76. The meeting also endorsed the organizational structure of academy.

Addressing the senate meeting, Health Minister Dhakal said the government is committed to improving the state of medical education in Karnali. 

In June this year, Nepal Medical Council (NMC) had granted KAHS the permission to start MDGP course, opening an avenue for the academy to produce specialist doctors.

KAHS was established KAHS in 2011 to improve the health services the districts of the Karnali zone. It was operated by a specialist and five doctors in the first year of establishment. In 2013 BS, the zonal hospital was upgraded to academy, which currently has 300 beds. In recent times, KAHS has brought into operation its own pharmacy, oxygen plant, and blood donation services.
Some 200 patients visit the academy every day. The hospital also has its own Intensive Care Unit

(ICU), Computed Topography (CT) Scan service, and the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department.
The hospital has already begun expanding and improving its physical infrastructure and manpower,

besides installing equipment to start MDGP and MBBS courses.
The academy has sent four of its specialist doctors to work in Surkhet Hospital so as to provide specialist services and improve service delivery.

There are 45 doctors working at KAHS who visit the remote areas of Karnali to treat patients.

 
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