Parliament approves Medical Education Ordinance 2075

FOREIGN MINISTER INFORMS PARLIAMENT ABOUT MODI’S NEPAL VISIT

KATHMANDU, May 9: A meeting of the federal parliament on Wednesday has endorsed the Medical Education Ordinance 2075 by majority.

The bill tabled by Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokhrel was approved by majority of lawmakers during the meeting of the House of Representatives.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on November 10 last year had certified the Ordinance. It was forwarded by the erstwhile government on October 23.

After frequent fast-on-to-death by medical reform activist and senior orthopedic surgeon at Teaching Hospital Dr Govinda KC demanding reform in the medical education act, the Ordinance was drafted incorporating all the suggestions made by Dr KC and as per the recommendation of Mathema-led panel in September last year.

The ordinance has provisioned setting up at least one government-run medical college in all seven provinces of the country within five years. It places a moratorium on opening new medical colleges in the Kathmandu Valley for the next ten years. KC has also demanded that all medical schools comply with the fee structure set by the government. Similarly, it has provisioned a common entrance exam system nationwide for MBBS. Likewise, specialist doctors should serve for at least two years in remote areas or three years in the accessible areas after their completion of their studies, according to the ordinance.

However, lawmaker Prem Suwal from Nepal Workers and Pageants Party objected the Ordinance stating that it would not be right bar opening new medical colleges in the country for another ten years.

The meeting also endorsed the ‘National Assembly Members Election Ordinance- 2075’ with majority.  Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Sher Bahadur Tamang presented the ordinance on behalf Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa for approval.

Likewise Commission on Investigation into the Enforced Disappeared Persons, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (first amendment) Ordinance- 2075′ were also passed by the meeting with majority.

Similarly, the ordinance related to remunerations, terms and conditions of services and facilities of the general secretary of Federal Parliament, secretary of the House of Representatives Secretariat and secretary of the National Assembly Secretariat presented by Minister Tamang was also passed by the meeting with majority.

Meanwhile, during the meeting Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali informed the parliament about the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nepal. According to Gyawali, Indian PM Modi will arrive in Nepal on May 11 in Janakpur. He will offer special worship at the Janaki Temple before attending a civil felicitation organized by Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City. The Indian PM along with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will inaugurate the Ramayan Circuit and Janakpur-Ayodhya bus service. The Indian PM will then head to Kathmandu where he will pay a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun. He is also slated to meet with his Nepali counterpart Oli the same day, and both of them will discuss issues on each other’s mutual relations, and they will jointly lay the foundation stone for Arun III Hydropower Project, he said. On May 12, the Indian Prime Minister will head to Muktinath to offer special worship at the Muktinath Temple. He will depart for home the same day.