Government busy in corruption, total neglect of Health sector

Reporters Club: President of Nepal’s Medical Association Dr. Mukti Ram Shrestha stated that “health education is deteriorating and it is a matter of grave concern”.

He said that for the sake of developing this sector Dr. Govinda KC went on a hunger strike for 16 times, and there were many discussions, agreements, but yet the State has failed to implement any of them”.

Medical Education Commission sat down for a meeting only once this year. There should not be a gap of more than 6 months according to the bylaws. Yet we have not sat down for a meeting for over a year now he said. The government has failed to meet the implementation criteria of the rules and regulations of the committee.

Speaking at a program at the Reporters Club today organized by the Democratic Movement for Nepal he said that “common entrance and fees are issues that the government has not been able to settle and are lingering.

These have to be implemented by the government but they have not made a single attempt. Dr. Shrestha also accused the government of not paying any concern to the committee decisions and implementing the changes regarding the fees and entrance.

Speaking of the protesting students and their demands, Dr. Shrestha said: “We have to point out what demands are illogical or invalid made by the students, if the demands are genuine then they have to be fulfilled”.

The government with a 2/3rd majority should be able to act and address the demands and concerns which are genuine without further delay, we are now in a position where the government has an absolute majority so there should not be any delay in work.

Dr. Shrestha also said that “the government has lost its focus and is concentrated elsewhere. It is steeped in corruption, and even when the world health organization has stated that a minimum of 10% needs to go toward the health sector the government has been providing a budget of only 4.4 – 4.8%.

Out of the allocated budget, 80% goes toward salaries, perks, and compensation, and the remaining goes to the health sector which is extremely little”. Talking about the closure of private medical colleges Dr. Shrestha stated that there should be a ” unified policy for dealing with private enterprises; they have to look into the problem the institutions are facing and act accordingly with seriousness. Make rules but also implement and follow them” he said.