Still in a limbo

The editorial ‘Lost in transit’ published in THT on August 5 caught my attention. Despite the fact that India often claims to have remained detached from Nepali politics, its actions, time and again, prove otherwise as it has its own vested interest. Last Wednesday, the Indian security forces thwarted Bhutanese refugees’ attempt to return to Bhutan — the same refugees whom it not only allowed to come to Nepal some years ago but also brought them in their own trucks. How will India justify this controversial act? Moreover, on what ground did the Indian police enter Nepali territory?

The refugee issue has become very unsettling but it is heading nowhere. It’s high time the refugee crisis drew international concern.

Sorup Poudel, Kathmandu

Keep it up

Just over ten years ago, an aerial view of the landscape of Nepal looked ugly, with large patches of barren land hacked away by timber contractors at the behest of fund-starved politicians before a major election. Thanks to the perseverance and zeal of the inhabitants of the rural communities of our nation, the successful reforestation of our pristine hills and dales has now set an example for the rest of the world to follow. If the “carbon credit” is ever realised by the most polluting nations as per the Kyoto Protocol, it would be another miracle if the major chunk (and not just chump change) of the money went directly for the well-being of these very same communities instead of going, as usual, through the sticky fingers of corrupt bureaucrats and politicians.

Deep Lamichhane, via e-mail

Beg to differ

This is in reference to the letter “Radiographers no radiologists” by Dr Benu Lohani published in THT on August 4. I beg to differ with Dr Lohani’s statement that “radiographers are

technicians and not doctors.” Let me remind him that there is a difference between the lexical explanations of words “technician” and “technologist.” A radiographer cannot be called a technician. In modern era radiography is taken as a separate speciality for which a medical imaging student after graduation have to spend additional two or three years doing a

masters course or he /she at least should be a graduate in a relevant field. He/she may gain

speciality as mammographer, sonographer, radiation therapist, CT/MR technologist, cardiovascular technologist, nuclear medicine technologist etc. Unfortunately in our context, we don’t even have certificate level licensed manpower to carry out the job, but this doesn’t mean we have the right to infringe the professional dignity of ‘real radiographers’ by calling them technicians. Dr Lohani should know that not only radiologists but also radiographers

need license to practice anywhere. But even Health Professionals’ Council of Nepal has not

practiced this. The radiologists must change their perspective of the world of radiological technology. Radiology cannot work properly until it’s two wheels, diagnosis and technology, are in perfect synchrony.

Yogesh Jha, Medical Imaging student, BPKIHS, Dharan