Government ‘reluctant’ to make public policy report

The government’s reluctance to make public the report on Health Profession Education Policy even a week after its submission by a high-level committee has raised questions Government ‘reluctant’ to make public policy report

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Manish Gautam

Published at : July 7, 2015

Kathmandu

The government’s reluctance to make public the report on Health Profession Education Policy even a week after its submission by a high-level committee has raised questions about the implementation of the recommendations.

The over 100-page report prepared by a panel led by former Tribhuvan University Vice-chancellor Kedar Bhakta Mathema has suggested decentralising medical colleges, setting up new entry standards for medical courses, and fee structures, among others.

Putting a moratorium on new medical schools in Kathmandu Valley, the committee has asked the government to relocate the institutions that have already built infrastructure for medical education even if by purchasing their property.

Members involved in the report preparation have been urging the government to put the report in the public domain as soon as possible.

“We would definitely like this document to come out in public and have discussions on broader agenda,” said Dr Bhagwan Koirala, a committee member. “We truly believe the recommendations will bring about a positive change in health education.”

The Cabinet has decided to send the report to its social committee for review. “We are not sure how long it will take for the document to be reviewed,” said a Cabinet source.

The government’s reluctance to make the report public is apparent that the Cabinet has agreed to publicise only the “recommendations and fundamentals” of the report, not the whole of it.

Mathema, who led the committee, said that sharing only the recommendations might not send a clear message. “The background to the recommendations is an essential portion. Everyone should get to read it,” he said.

Committee members on Friday met Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudyal to press the government to unveil the report. Paudyal had assured them that the report will come out following the due process.

The committee submitted the report to Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on June 29. Other members of the committee were Hari Lamsal, joint-secretary at the Education Ministry; Suresh Raj Sharma, former vice-chancellor of Kathmandu University; Dr Arjun Karki, former VC of Patan Academy of Health Sciences; Dr Ramesh Kant Adhikari, former dean of the Institute of Medicine; Dr Bhagwan Koirala, former director of the TU Teaching Hospital; Dr Madan Upadhyay, former VC of the BPKIHS; and Guna Raj Lohani, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population.