NHRC, an autonomous body which promotes scientific study and quality research in health sector, recently conducted a survey of the health research centers. [break]
“We will submit our report to the government and make an appeal to stop providing facilities to the hospital and research centers,” the executive chairman of NHRC, Dr Choplal Bhusal said.
The hospitals that mention research center on their sign boards get tax waiver while importing costly equipment from foreign countries. “We do not have the authority to punish the research centers that do not comply with rules, so we will urge the government to take action,” Dr Bhusal added.
The research centers pay less than two percent tax at the customs points while importing equipments whereas others have to shell out more than 12 percent in tax.
“None of the hospital and poly clinics which are established with the stated objective of conducting research have done so,” an official of the NHRC said, adding, “Even the renowned hospitals and research centers conduct research.”
There are 302 research centers operating across the country with 190 in the capital alone. There are 15 research centers in Pokhara, 14 in Biratnagar, six in Chitwan and 9 each in Dhanusa and Birgunj.
An official of NHRC, preferring anonymity, said despite repeated instructions to submit their researches, ´Om Hospital and Research Center´ has not presented its research findings and ´Medicare Hospital and Research Center´ has said its upcoming board meeting take a decision to erase the research word from its signboard.
The official said some research centers show urine test reports as research work. Some research centers claim as their daily work is based on research work, there is no need of other research.
The research centers must take consent from NHRC prior to conducting a research. “If anybody carries out a research without getting consent from NHRC, the research will be considered invalid and it will not get published in any scientific journal,” he said.
The NHRC alleges that some research centers are in the process of removing the term research center from their names as they have already imported costly equipments.
The NHRC said some medical colleges and research centers run by NGO are conducting valid research.
The NHRC in 2005 had conducted a survey of the research institutions in Nepal and found that 367 research centers operating in 40 districts.
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