Kathmandu, October 22

The government is all set to table National Medical Education Ordinance in the Cabinet tomorrow. The ordinance was drafted as per the demands made by Dr Govinda KC, a senior orthopaedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

After passage of the ordinance from the Cabinet, it will be submitted to the president for authentication.

The draft ordinance was finalised by the government’s talks team comprising former health minister Gagan Thapa, Advocate Om Prakash Aryal and Dr Govinda KC’s talks team.

“The ordinance incorporates all the recommendations made by the Mathema-led panel and Dr KC’s suggestions. The talks team members, Thapa and Aryal, worked hard on the ordinance,” informed Dr Abhishek Singh, one of members of Dr KC’s talks team.

Dr KC has been demanding immediate passage of the Medical Education Bill as per the recommendations made by the Mathema-led panel. Dr KC has demanded a 10-year moratorium on the establishment of new medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley. He has also demanded that all medical schools comply with the fee structure set by the government. Dr KC had staged his 13th fast-unto-death protest demanding an end to irregularities in the health and medical education sectors.

Dr KC ended his 13th hunger strike on the 14th day after signing a 10-point agreement with the government on October 18.

In the agreement, the government assured of addressing Dr KC’s demands, including enactment of Health Profession and Education legislation through ordinance after the term of the Parliament expired on October 14 without addressing Dr KC’s demands.

As per the Constitution of Nepal 2072, the ordinance should be endorsed by both the houses of the Parliament to be formed after the elections. If the joint meeting of the Parliament passes the ordinance, then it will take the form of a law. But if both the houses don’t act on the ordinance within sixty days, it would become null and void.