Committee suggests govt to transform NAMS into an umbrella university

Kathmandu / March 14: A committee formed to suggest the government on medical education has suggested transforming National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) into an umbrella university to meet the crisis of specialist doctors.

The Ministry of Health had formed the panel some four months ago for finding an alternative in search of the skilled human resources after the specialist doctors did not apply in the government vacancy announcements.

The panel has already submitted its report to Minister for Health Gagan Kumar Thapa.

At an interaction with Minister Thapa on Tuesday, Coordinator of the committee, Dr Choplal Bhusal, said that Bir Hospital, in the capacity of the medical teaching hospital, other central hospitals, regional hospitals, sub-regional hospitals, zonal hospitals and district hospitals should be kept under the umbrella university in a set legal framework and classes of the Master’s Degree run as well.

He said that Nepal lacks number of specialist doctors and the specialists on anesthesia were few, and so is in the case of pathologists and radiologists needed for physicians and surgeon. Dr Bhusal added that the required number of specialists should be fulfilled by offering trainings to them in the abovementioned hospitals.

The committee has also given suggestions on arranging specialists of public health, imaging, lab technology and physiotherapy.

On the occasion, Minister Thapa said that decision has been made to begin works for infrastructure development and commencing the classes from the upcoming academic session.

He said, “The Committee has given suggestion to run classes by including retired doctors from the coming fiscal academic session. Discussions are on for the amendment of the acts, rules and laws of the Nepal Medical College as hiring the in-service doctors as the teaching faculty was not easy from the Council.”

The committee has suggested that Mechi Zonal Hospital, Koshi Zonal Hospital, Gajendra Narayan Singh Zonal Hospital, Sub-Regional Hospital, Hetauda, Bharatpur Hospital and some other hospitals are capable enough and suitable to run classes on specialist doctors from the upcoming academic session.

Bhusal said the specialists should be produced in Nepal itself, adding that many of the specialists passed out from other countries could not pass the examinations of the Council.

On the occasion, Vice Chancellor of the NAMS Ganesh Gurung said that upgrade of the NAMS to make it an umbrella university was appropriate for the production of the skilled human resources needed for the country. RSS