Civil society leaders on Sunday launched a petition campaign to press the government to withdraw its decision to give academy status to a private health institute.

Expressing their concern over government’s effort to establish Manmohan Institute of Health Sciences as an autonomous academy, the leaders have warned to stage stern protests both in and outside Nepal. A statement signed by 32 civil society members has warned that circumventing process on medical education will have long-term repercussions and set a bad precedent.

The public petition was signed by Kedar Bhakta Mathema; Dr Madan Upadhya; former chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel; Krishna Khanal, political expert; former chief secretaries Bimal Koirala and Leela Mani Poudel; Anuradha Koirala, a social worker; Dr Upedndra Devkota, senior neurosurgeon; Kul Chandra Gautam, Madan Krishna Shrestha and Haribansa Acharya, among others.  

Welcoming the decision to form the Health Profession Education Commission under Dr Bhagwan Koirala, the committee has asked it to stop proceeding with the bill and allow the commission to decide on medical education issues. Expressing concerns at Dr Govinda KC’s announcement to stage another death fast beginning Monday, the civil society urged him to withdraw the strike,  warning the government of serious consequences if it fails to stop the bill’s process.

The government on December 25 presented “Manmohan Adhikari Academy of Health Sciences-2015 Bill” to give legitimacy to the Manmohan Institute of Health Sciences. The government forwarded the bill to the Women, Children, Elderly Citizen and Social Welfare Committee chaired by UML lawmaker Ranju Kumari Jha for review. The committee has influential UML MPs, including Rajendra Pandey, who chairs the institute, and Dr Bansidhar Mishra, who has a controlling share in a cooperative that runs the institute.