Kathmandu, February 12, 2007

Members of the Legislative Parliament today urged the government to table the Bill to amend the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 as promised by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in his second address to the nation.

“The government should be serious about amending the Constitution,” Nepali Congress (Democratic) MP Minendra Rijal said. He also urged the government to be serious about addressing the concerns of the Madhesis, Janajatis and women.

Speaking during the special hour of today’s session, the MPs demanded that the government amend the Interim Constitution as soon as possible. CPN-UML MP Raghuji Panta called the government to work to restructure the state mechanism. Without restructuring, it will be difficult to resolve present crisis, he said, calling the government to conduct a “scientific study to restructure the nation”. MP Govinda Bikram Shah called the government to take the demands of the Madhesis, Janajatis and women seriously. “If the government wants to address the demands, why is it not working quickly,” he asked.

Jana Morcha Nepal MP Leelamani Pokhrel called the seven-party alliance and the Maoists to settle political issues and make conducive environment to hold Constituent Assembly polls. Accusing some ministers of hatching conspiracies to postpone the CA elections, he said, “That is why they have been delaying the process of promulgation of laws as demanded by the Election Commission.” Lawmaker Nanda Kumar Prasain called the government to send a team of MPs to look into the Terai situation and to punish those mentioned in the Rayamajhi panel report.

Govt sends 48 fresh docs to remote areas

Kathmandu, February 12, 2007

The Health Ministry has recently sent 48 medical graduates, who studied under government scholarships, to remote areas in various districts in accordance with the ‘Doctors mobilisation regulation.’

The number of such graduates could reach the 105 mark by next month. “Doctors are coming forward to serve in remote areas after we made it mandatory. We have set a rule that they would receive the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) permanent registration number only after they serve in such remote areas for two years,” acting Director General at the Department of Health Services (DoHS) Dr Mahendra Bahadur Bista told this daily.

Of the 1,052 doctors under the ministry, 301 are based in the valley and 72 are currently on ‘study leave,’ i.e. they have been sent to remote areas of Dailekh, Bajhang, Dang, Kanchanpur, Jumla, Bhojpur, Kalikot and Kailali.

The newly-amended Health Act has a provision whereby a permanent staff who has served for one year in remote areas and two years in general service would be eligible for fellowships.