Pokhara Academy of Health Science is set to start Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Science (MS) courses after a meeting of the Medical Council recommended the Medical Education Commission for the programmes.

A meeting chaired by the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli On September 18 had permitted to grant 17 seats to the academy. Prof Buddhi Bahadur Thapa, the academy’s vice-chancellor, said that executive committee of the commission has decided to allocate four seats for general surgery, four for gynaecology, three for orthopaedic and two seats each for medicine, pediatric and anesthesiology.

According to Thapa, students can study three-year MD/MS courses free of cost under the scholarship quota available to all 17 seats.

“The government will bear the cost which will add up to at least Rs 2.4 million per student,” said Thapa.

The academy has already formed the departments and prepared syllabus for the courses.

Thapa said they will publish an advertisement declaring the opening of the courses and start classes within two months.

Out of 54 faculty members at the academy, nine are professors, seven are associate professors and the rest are lecturers.

Doctors at the academy hope that the quality of health services will improve after the start of MD/MS classes.

Khagaraj Adhikari, a member of House of Representatives and former health minister, said that the government should play the lead role in providing access to quality healthcare for its citizens and doctors should work for the welfare of the people.

“We formed this academy primarily for citizens. Healthcare should be accessible to all. Hopefully, the new batch of doctors produced by this academy will elevate the country’s healthcare.”

On September 2018, a full assembly of the Medical Council had inspected the academy before giving a nod to conduct teaching and learning activities.

The second assembly meeting of the academy held on December 5, 2018, decided to start classes, endorse the budget of the last and current fiscal year, fill the vacant positions of the members at the assembly, and endorse the master plan of the academy.

The academy informed that the curriculum has been developed in consultation and agreement reached with the Patan Academy of Health Science, National Academy of Medical Sciences (Bir Hospital), Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, and Sukraraj Tropical Hospital.

The Western Regional Hospital Pokhara was upgraded to the academy of health sciences in 2015. That same year, Pokhara Health Science Academy Bill was passed by Parliament. The academy was established with an objective of producing skilled human resources in the domain of health science with the vision of providing quality health services through high-level research works.