Kathmandu, 20 Aug: The medical profession has lost its appeal in Nepal. Problems such as low salary, insecurity, difficulty in paying tuition fees, and difficulty in finding employment have led to the medical profession losing its appeal.
Not only that, even doctors working in government hospitals with good service facilities have started migrating to countries like Europe, America, Australia, and Britain after not seeing a future in Nepal. There is no concrete action plan with the government to retain doctors. The health sector is still surviving with the manpower that was ONM 32 years ago. Even today, the vacancies of 32 years ago are still there. Even when vacancies are not filled, doctors are forced to choose the path of migration.
Leaving government jobs for going to America and Australia
Kishore Sharma (name changed), who spent 7 million rupees on MBBS , is now ready to go to Australia. He has completed the entire process to go to Australia. Sharma had also succeeded in getting his name out of the National Institute of Medical Sciences as the number one in MD Orthopedic, but he is leaving orthopedic studies and going to Australia. Sharma, who is currently working as a medical officer at a local level in Nuwakot, is flying to Australia after some time.
When asked why he chose Australia instead of pursuing MD here, he replied simply, “You have to be old to earn money as a doctor in Nepal. I am going to Australia because my wish and aspiration could not be fulfilled by the medical profession.” His other answer was, “My friend went to America as soon as he completed Plus Two, and I started studying MBBS. Now he has two houses in Kathmandu, and he has also bought a house in America. He can spend whatever he wants when he comes to Nepal.
“He is no longer short of money, but I am working in a job worth Rs 40,000 in Source force. Even if I enroll in orthopedics, it will take more than three years to complete and it is difficult to get a suitable job immediately after passing, so I am going to Australia.” Sharma did his MBBS from Manipal Medical College in Pokhara.
Similarly, a doctor working at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital flew to America with his entire family. When asked why he was going to America for permanent residence despite having such a good job, his answer was that the situation in Nepal and the income in Nepal were not enough, so I was forced to go to America with my family. He clarified that he went to America because of the insecurity in the medical sector and low salary facilities in Nepal.
Increasing number of doctors going abroad
According to the Nepal Medical Council, there are 2,681 people who have obtained a good standing certificate to go abroad. Of these, 550 are from the UK, 587 from the US, 384 from the Maldives, 205 from the UAE, 253 from Australia, 192 from India, 38 from Canada, 16 from Germany, 10 from Qatar, 9 from Singapore, 33 from Denmark, 11 from Hong Kong, 6 from Ireland, 3 from Saudi Arabia, 36 from Oman, and 57 from other countries. This data also shows that doctors are fleeing from Nepal.
Nepal faces doctor shortage within a few years
Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr. Bikash Devkota, said that service facilities should be increased to prevent the exodus of doctors. Nepal Medical Association President Anil Bikram Karki said that the exodus of doctors in Nepal has increased due to very poor service facilities.
He arguing that doctors cannot stay in Nepal after paying compensation of crores of rupees and claimed that there will be a queue of doctors going abroad in the future. Prof. Dr. Gyanendra Man Singh Karki, president of the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Nepal, an organization of private medical colleges, said that doctors going abroad cannot be stopped. He said that doctors going abroad to seek opportunities in the world will not be stopped, adding that many doctors in the country have gone abroad in search of their future.
Doctor exodus cannot be stopped immediately, policy-level arrangements must be made: Health Minister
Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Poudel said that service facilities should be increased to prevent the exodus of doctors and other health workers. It is not possible to stop it immediately. For this, specialized doctors with qualifications and abilities should be given work in Nepal. For that, a Public Service Commission should be opened. ONM has not been able to be done in health after 2048 BS. Manpower should be increased by doing ONM.
The Public Service Commission should be able to fill the posts by asking for at least seven to eight hundred doctors. Similarly, 1,300 nurses should be filled immediately. Other health workers should also be given public service in the same manner. Service facilities should be increased and made subsistence-oriented. Service facilities should be reconsidered.
Doctors and health workers working in the private sector are also being made to work at low wages. They should be provided with basic services. The conditions for working safely at the workplace should be improved. Internal growth should be developed from time to time. By passing such various issues as a policy, an environment should be created for doctors to stay in the country.
The Ministry of Health has put forward a proposal to add 12,000 health personnel within five years. This year, a proposal to add 2,500 has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance. Discussions are underway to increase the service facilities of doctors to some extent.
