President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has finally endorsed the much-awaited Health Profession Education (HPE) Ordinance, nearly three weeks after the Cabinet decision to enact a new law as demanded by senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC.

The government on October 23 decided to introduce the ordinance to enact a new law incorporating the provisions of the HPE Bill.

According to HPE Bill draft committee member Om Prakash Aryal, the ordinance puts a strict moratorium on establishing new medical institutions in Kathmandu Valley for the next 10 years. 

The new law also tightens the grip on universities that are eligible to grant affiliation and a hospital has to run for at least three years to be eligible to apply for a medical college 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 granted to more than one medical college in a single district.

With the enforcement of new law, Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University cannot grant affiliation to any new medical college.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dr Govinda KC, along with advocate Om Prakash Aryal, and medical doctors Abhisek Jha and Toshima Karki, had registered the right to information (RTI) petition at the Office of the President, demanding to know why the office of President is delaying in endorsing the HPE Ordinance. The RTI stated that it was indispensable to improve the medical education sector and ensure quality health care to all the citizens at an affordable cost.