Kathmandu, February 6

Nepal Medical Association, an umbrella organisation of doctors, has said that appointment of doctors by all three levels of government may create problems in future.

NMA said if provincial and local levels started appointing doctors, the central government would not send doctors to the provincial and local levels in times of disaster or emergency. It also stated that the doctors appointed by the local and provincial governments would not be obliged to work at places other than those assigned by the provincial government.

NMA General Secretary Dr Lochan Karki said doctors should be appointed only by the federal government.

“Appointment of doctors by provincial and local governments would limit their working area. A doctor appointed by a province will not be obliged to work in another province,” he said.

Issuing a press statement, NMA has requested the Ministry of Health and Population to appoint doctors and send them to the provinces and local levels on deputation.

“Health is a very sensitive sector. So the government needs to be far-sighted while adjusting employees of the health sector,” said Dr Karki.

Dr Karki also said that appointment of doctors by the provincial and local government would reduce their chances of promotion. “The provincial and local governments can only appoint doctors up to the ninth level. So these doctors will be unable to get promotion up to the 11th level,” he said.