Lawmakers in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Nepal’s federal parliament, today demanded government action on alleged irregularities at a medical college in Birgunj and the alarming rise in road accident fatalities across the country.
Rahbar Ansari, a member of the House of Representatives for the Rastriya Swatantra Party from Bara-4, highlighted significant issues at National Medical College in Birgunj, Madhesh Province. He informed the House that post-graduate students have been protesting for the past 10 days, citing approximately 25 fake faculty members, non-working professors, and the use of fake patients during inspections by the Medical Education Commission. Ansari called for immediate attention from Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel to resolve these problems and free students from the burden of exorbitant fees.
Medical college irregularities and illegal fees
The National Medical College in Birgunj has been embroiled in a property dispute since at least February 2024. The Nepal Medical Council has also initiated investigations into several medical and dental colleges and hospitals for allegedly submitting fake documents, including ‘good standing certificates’, to register foreign doctors. Previously, parents and students filed complaints against Kathmandu University-affiliated institutions like Nepalgunj Medical College, Birat Medical College, and Nobel Medical College for charging illegal fees. Kathmandu Medical College had agreed to adjust its fees following similar complaints.
Rising road accidents and safety challenges
Separately, Dhanendra Karki, a Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker from Sindhuli-1, urged the government to take proactive measures to reduce the increasing number of road accidents. According to Nepal Police Headquarters, 1,233 people died in 11,338 road accidents during the first six months of the current fiscal year (up to Poush-end). This marks an increase compared to the same period in the last fiscal year, which saw 1,149 deaths in 12,856 accidents. In the fiscal year 2080/81, road accidents accounted for 2,369 deaths, approximately 81 percent of all fatalities from natural and non-natural disasters. The same fiscal year also saw 32,156 injuries (6,160 serious and 25,996 minor) and an estimated Rs 473.7 million in damages due to road accidents.
Key factors contributing to road accidents include poor road conditions, vehicle malfunctions, driver behaviour, and passenger negligence. Insufficient budget for road safety, a lack of competitive spirit among service providers to offer quality services, and inadequate legal frameworks for public transport management are also cited as causes.
During the session, Kshitij Thebe, a CPN-UML lawmaker from Taplejung-1, called for the removal of buffer zones, highlighting the daily struggles faced by residents in these areas. Rabin Mahato, a Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker from Sarlahi-2, demanded free medical treatment and compensation for a boy in Sarlahi who was seriously injured by an electric wire. Detailed information regarding the boy’s name, current health status, and the responsible entity for the electric wire is not yet available.
At the start of the session, Dhruvraj Rai, a member of the House of Representatives, requested that the negative trends observed in the current parliamentary session not be repeated in future sessions and that the voices of the opposition be heard. While specific details of these ‘negative trends’ were not provided, general comments have been made about the ruling parties’ silence on critical issues and lawmakers’ increasing use of social media instead of parliamentary debate.
In response to the concerns, lawmaker Rahbar Ansari urged Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel to resolve the issues at Birgunj Medical College immediately. For road safety, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has initiated amendments to existing laws and regulations and has prepared a draft of the National Road Safety Policy, 2081 (BS). Additionally, the Nepal Electricity Authority is coordinating with local levels to implement a ‘Roadside Pole Shifting and Road Safety Project’ under its fiscal year 2083-84 program.
