Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Poudel, has warned that the government will suspend all cooperation with private medical colleges if they failed to ensure resident doctors are provided living allowance equivalent to those given in government hospitals.
During a meeting today with representatives from the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) and resident doctors at the Ministry today, the Minister said it is not necessary to debate on the decision made by the Medical Education Commission regarding the living allowance for resident doctors.
"The private medical colleges must implement the Commission's decision. If they fail to do so, there will be no cooperation from the Ministry in relation to the activities of private medical colleges," Minister Poudel stated.
The Minister further clarified that private colleges must first implement the decision to provide a living allowance of Rs 48,000 to each residential doctor per month before any discussions can take place regarding their demands to increase the number of Master's degree seats and adjust fees.
NMA Chair Dr. Anil Bikram Karki and Sheshraj Ghimire, the coordinator of the Struggle Committee for Safe Workplaces for Health Professionals, formed by residential doctors, were part of the meeting today. Residential doctors from private medical colleges have been protesting for the past 22 days, demanding that their living allowance be aligned with those of their counterparts in government hospitals. However, the private colleges have refused to accept the decision made by the 16th meeting of the Medical Education Commission. (RSS)
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