A meeting of the Social Affairs Committee of the cabinet on Friday appointed Prof Jagadish Prasad Agrawal, executive director of National Centre for Health Professions Education, as the vice-president of the commission.Establishing an autonomous health professionals' education commission was one of the major demands of Dr Govinda KC, who ended his sixth fast-unto-death on September 5, following an 11-point agreement with the government.
The committee had decided on Wednesday to establish the commission headed by education minister but was yet to make appointments of other officer bearers and members.
Along with the appointment of Agrawal, the committee also appointed vice-chancellors of Tribhuvan University and National Academy of Medical Science (NAMS) as members of the commission. Dr Sangita Bhandari, vice-chancellor of Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Dr K K Oli of National Centre for Health Professions Education, Dr Gopal Acharya, former secretary Mahasharam Sharma and Dr Sheela Verma are the other members of the commission.
The 10-member commission will be responsible for devising a national policy on medical education within three months of its formation and present it to the government through the Ministry of Education for review.
Likewise, the commission will also monitor whether the decisions made by the government for improving quality and professionalism in the medical sector are effectively implemented or not. The commission will have the freedom to chart out necessary strategies and issue directives for the effective implementation of government decisions regarding the country's medical education.
The committee has also appointed representatives of Nepal Medical Council, Nepal Nursing Council, Nepal Health Professionals Council, Nepal Pharmacy Council, Nepal Ayurvedic Medical Council and a joint-secretary of Ministry of Education as ex-officio members of the commission. The Ministry of Education will set up the commission's office in its building.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala under pressure to negotiate and end Dr Govinda KC's fifth hunger strike, had formed an eight-member high-level task force led by former vice chancellor of the Tribhuvan University, Kedar Bhakta Mathema, on November 17, 2014 for proposing ways to reform the medical education sector.
The task force, which took seven months to prepare its report, had suggested that the government establish an autonomous medical education commission for regulating medical education.
Apart from formation of the commission, the task force had suggested capping the fees for MBBS programs at Rs 3.5 million. The committee also accepted Dr KC's demand to set the ceiling of the fees not exceeding Rs 3.5 million. Medical colleges in the country have been charging MBBS students up to Rs 4.5 million.
Likewise, the committee has also decided to set up an investigation commission in line with the 11-point agreement reached with Dr Govinda KC on September 5. The three-member commission, which will expire after three months, has been entrusted with the responsibilities to investigate into all the activities of Nepal Medical Council and to look into the issues of fees charged by various medical colleges and universities. Former judge of Appellate Court, Narayan Prasad Dahal, has been appointed as president of the commission.
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