The Health Ministry has started reviewing the applications from 30 candidates who have applied for the positions of vice-chancellor in three health academies.

Ministry officials said the Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS) and the Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences are likely to get their VCs in the next two weeks.

For the first time, the government called for applications to fill the vacancies

that have existed over

six months.

“We have had two meetings, reviewing the work plans submitted by the candidates,” said Health Secretary Dr Senendra Raj Upreti.

A three-member committee headed by Health Minister Gagan Thapa, also the pro-chancellor of the institutions, which includes Dr Upreti and Dr Geeta Bhakta Joshi, a member of the National Planning Commission, will pick the VCs.

The PAHS has been without the VC since August 23 last year after Dr Sangita Singh Bhandari completed her

term. The KAHS has been running without the VC after Dr Paras Acharya’s tenure ended on May 25.

The government is appointing VC to the Pokhara Academy established in 2015, following pressure from Dr Govinda KC, who has staged hunger strikes several times demanding one medical institute in each province.