Lower House committee to consult Dr KC regarding Medical Education Bill

Kathmandu, Aug 19: The education and health committee under the House of Representatives (HoR) is to hold discussions with Prof Dr Govinda KC and other people concerned from related field with regard to the National Medical Education Bill- 2075 BS.

A meeting of the committee held today decided to hold discussions with the Mathema Commission officials, Dr KC, Nepal Medical Council office bearers and stakeholders concerned regarding the bill, as stated by committee senior most member Man Bahadur Bishwakarma.

Prior to this, Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, in his response to the queries of lower house lawmakers during the theoretical discussions on the document, pledged to ensure access of indigents to medical education through the implementation of special provisions.

“The bill will give much focus on maintaining quality in the education and health sectors. The issue of guaranteeing justice to socially excluded community will be established, we should not move back regarding the matters of socialism-oriented system and inclusion and a collective understanding is needed among us on the issues of education and health remaining as the sectors of social service,” added Pokhrel.

He was of the view of not looking the health and education issues through a business lens as of other commercial sectors. He took the time to claim that the bill had not attempted to shrink the jurisdictions of provinces.

Taking part in the discussion on principle of the bill, lawmaker Prem Suwal said the State should lead the education and health sectors after making education and health free of cost within five years.

Similarly, Committee member Rajan KC expressed the view that the government has to pay attention in opening medical colleges and big hospitals in all provinces if it wants to move ahead as per the sentiments of federalism while Som Prasad Pandey said it was necessary to increase the number of medical colleges to make income in permanent manner by attracting foreign students in medical education in Nepal.

Likewise, Brinda Pandey stressed the need of ensuring inclusive admission of students to state health sector as the non-profit business in the preamble of the bill. Yasodha Subedi and Shashi Shrestha said the State should be made more responsible to establish education and health as fundamental rights.

Lawmaker Khagaraj Adhikari suggested that it would be better to reach to a decision after knowing the practical side in course of making the health and education free while Yogesh Bhattarai and Umakanta Chaudhary pointed out the need of adequate discussion with stakeholders to make the bill capable to guide the medical sector for decades.