Health Minister Ram Janam Chaudhary on Monday tabled the Manmohan Adhikari Academy of Health Sciences-2015 bill, which once endorsed will prepare legal ground for Manmohan Memorial Institute Of Health Sciences (MMIHS) to run MBBS classes.

The move, experts fear, is likely to set a bad precedent in the medical sector, as other aspirants might use their political clout to operate their institutes in a similar manner.

“This sets the bar so low,” said Dr Arjun Karki, former vice-chancellor of Patan Academy of Health Sciences.

“It will encourage each successive government to promote their own businesses, let alone medical colleges operated by party member. This is perfect example of regulators running their own businesses.”

There is long list of medical colleges that are backed by parties or power centres.

Apart from the MMIHS, National Medical College, an extension of National Medical College, Birgunj, promoted by the UCPN (Maoist) loyalist Basaruddhin Ansari, and People’s Dental College, run by Sunil Sharma who has support from the Maoists and the Nepali Congress, has been desperately trying to gain affiliation. Also in the line is Nepal Police Medical College, which recently has been out of the scene after facing immense criticism of using “standing faculty”.

The MMIHS, whose major shares belong to CPN-UML members, is chaired by Rajendra Pandey, a UML parliamentarian.

Similarly, establishing new medical college is against the recommendation on medical education by experts.

The Kedar Bhakta Mathema-led commission, which was formed in the wake of a series of fast-unto-death by Dr Govinda KC demanding reforms in the medical education sector, has recommended against establishing more medical colleges for next 10 years inside the Kathmandu Valley. It has also asked the government to stop granting Letter of Intent, a prerequisite to establish medical colleges, while halting its renewal.

In case of colleges like MMIHS that has built infrastructure, the commission report has asked the government to take it over or help them to relocate to other places. Dr KC believes the formation of academy will further promote political intervention in the medical sector. He said any decision on medical education should be made by the Health Profession Education Commission, an apex body recommended by the Mathema-commission with the mandate to oversee medical education. The formation of HPEC is yet to materialise.

Dr KC also issued a statement on Wednesday urging the government to form HPEC in a week. He has warned of taking stern measures if the government fails to form HPEC.