Kathmandu – The Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Nepal, an organization of private medical and dental colleges, has decided not to provide government-level (eighth-level) subsistence allowance to studying resident doctors.

Earlier, the 16th meeting of the Medical Education Commission chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had decided to provide a subsistence allowance to resident doctors studying in private medical colleges at the same rate as government-level eighth-level medical officers.

Similarly, on 14th Magh, Health Minister Pradeep Poudel and Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai made a three-point decision, the first of which was to provide a subsistence allowance of Rs. 25,000 for the first year, Rs. 30,000 for the second year, and Rs. 35,000 for the third year to resident doctors studying at the postgraduate level in private medical colleges. The second point was to provide a subsistence allowance to resident doctors studying at the postgraduate level from the academic session 2081 and 2082 as per the scholarship guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Population, and the resident doctors who want to study for free should commit to serving in the same educational institution for two years after their studies.

Expressing disagreement with the government’s decision, the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Nepal, an organization of private medical and dental colleges, issued a statement on Saturday, stating that it would not be possible to provide postgraduate teaching with a subsistence allowance equivalent to the eighth level without ensuring the resources to operate postgraduate educational programs.

It was decided that private medical colleges would provide decent facilities to resident doctors studying at the postgraduate (PG) level in accordance with the university and medical council and prevailing labor laws. After the decision, resident doctors expressed dissatisfaction and intensified their agitation, the government has been providing a subsistence allowance similar to the government (eighth level).