Government of Nepal signed a 11-point agreement with Prof. Dr. Govinda KC who was in fast unto death demanding reform in Medical Education of Nepal. The deal is signed by Dr KC and on behalf of the government by Dr Govinda Pokhrel (Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission & chief executive officer (CEO) of National Reconstruction Authority) and Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi.
Dr. KC will break his fast 6th September afternoon at 3 pm. As a part of the agreement, the Cabinet will form a Health Professional Education Commission that will oversee and regulate medical education.
What are the agreements?
- Medical education institutes in Kathmandu that have been waiting to receive affiliations after receiving Letter of Intent will not receive recognition. This could mostly affect the fate of medical institutes run by political leaders, including Manmohan medical college of CPN-UML Lawmaker Rajendra Pandey and Kathmandu National Medical College, Ghattekulo owned by UCPN (Maoist) Basrudin Ansari.
- Decreasing medical seats gradually from 150 to 135 then to 115 and limit it to 100 seats in next three years.
- The fee ceiling for MBBS & MD/MS education will be set at Rs 3.5 million & 2.3 million respectively, as recommended by Health Profession Education Policy drafted by a committee led by former TU-VC Kedar Bhakta Mathema. This criteria however will be revised in every two years based on the inflation and a decision by the faculty board, the highest academic authority for medical education.
- The agreement also includes formation of a new probe commission to look into misuse of authority in TU and KU in the past and take actions against those who are found guilty. In case of the Birat and Dev Daha Medical colleges, which were granted affiliation secretly, the government has agreed to write to CIAA to probe into the deeds.
Throughout the day on Saturday, the team members representing team Dr KC including Dr YP Singh and Leela Mani Poudel, former Chief Secretary, had drafted the 11-point with consent from Dr. KC.
Dr KC has been staging fast-unto-death for past 13 days demanding an immediate implementation of Health Profession Education Policy and end to political meddling in universities and other institutions.
This is the sixth fast-unto-death of Dr KC demanding reforms in medical schools and universities.
