The government is set to enact a law incorporating the provisions of the Health Profession Education (HPE) Bill through an ordinance in an effort to address the demands of Dr Govinda KC.

On Sunday, officials of the Education Ministry and representatives of Dr KC drafted the bill which will be presented before the Cabinet. The Cabinet will then forward the bill for endorsement to President’s office.

According to Dr Abhisek Raj Singh, representative of Dr KC, all the major changes have been incorporated in the bill as suggested by experts. 

“All the major preparations, including the drafting of the bill, to present it before the Cabinet are over. We hope the government will come out with the Health Education Act through an ordinance without delay,” said Dr Singh. 

The latest draft of the bill retains all the major provisions as demanded by Dr KC. The bill bars opening of new medical colleges inside Kathmandu Valley for the next 10 years. Similarly, a hospital has to run for at least three years to be eligible to apply for a medical college affiliation. 

The bill also tightens the grip of universities that are eligible to grant affiliation. A university must have its own medical college and full-fledged hospital before being considered for affiliation to open a new medical school. 

Similarly, a single university can grant affiliation to only five medical colleges that should be based within its own province. Also, affiliation will not be given to more than one medical college in a single district.

According to former health minister Gagan Thapa, the provision of scholarship too has been increased for the government and public institutions. 

“The government medical colleges should make available at least 75 percent scholarship for each session,” said Thapa, a key negotiator.

Thapa said as the Cabinet would again forward the bill to its committee, it would be presented before the President in a few days. 

Dr KC had ended his 13th fast on October 18 after the government agreed to bring the HPE Act through an ordinance.

Since the last meeting of Parliament on October 13 failed to endorse the HPE Bill, effectively ending the possibility of parliament endorsing the bill that was tabled in September 2016, the government was left with the only option of implementing the HPE Act through an ordinance.