KATHMANDU: After dozens of doctors were arrested on charge of forging academic certificates to pursue medical studies,  the Nepal Medical Association (NMA), the umbrella organisation of Nepali doctors, has raised question over the credibility of Nepal Medical Council (NMC).

As many as 35 among 36 doctors, who have been recently arrested by the Nepal Police's Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) under the Operation Quack, hold valid licence issued by the NMC.

Issuing a statement today, the NMC General Sectary, Dr Mukti Ram Shrestha urged all doctors to get their academic certificates attested by the Government of Nepal before starting their medical practice.

"As the qualification of medical practitioners, who received licence from the Government of Nepal's regulatory body, is at stake, the Nepal Medical Association has concluded that this has called into question the Nepal Medical Council's credibility," Shrestha said.

The NMC is the regulatory body of Nepal's medical practice. It grants registration licence to the MBBS and BDS graduates by determining their qualification and conducting prescribed licensing examinations.

The NMA has taken exception to the arrests saying the licensed and practising doctors were dealt like just other criminals in the name of investigation into fake certificates.

The NMA has drawn attention of the Nepal Police's Inspector General and CIB officials as well as the National Human Rights Commissionn (NHRC) towards the arrests that are not on a par with the principles of human rights, he added.

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