On Sunday, the government took a policy decision on the issue of resident doctors studying post-graduation in a private medical college following the suggestions given by the expert working group formed by the government. Under the direction of Prime Minister and Medical Education Commission Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Commission Co-Chairman and Health Minister Pradeep Paudel and Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai took such a decision.

In opposition to this, the resident doctors who are now studying post-graduation seem to be preparing to start a movement.

The dispute between the government and private medical college operators was raging for the last 6 months. At the center of the controversy were issues such as subsistence allowance, service facilities and labor exploitation of students studying MD/MS in private medical colleges. But without taking the agitating party into confidence on this matter, the Prime Minister himself proceeded to make a decision.

The government has decided to give a monthly subsistence allowance of 25,000 to 35,000 per month to resident doctors who are studying post-graduation in a private medical college . In that decision, it is mentioned that private medical colleges will provide free teaching if the doctors who complete MD/MS work for two years.

Resident doctors allege- The government's decision is in favor of private medical colleges . Co-ordinator of Safe Workplace Struggle Committee Dr. Arun Upreti said that the monthly subsistence allowance should be 48,000 as in the government medical college and even though there is a provision for free studies, there is a possibility of labor exploitation while working. Therefore, he said that they are preparing to start a movement. Committee coordinator Dr. Sesharaj Ghimire issued a statement and stated that the decision taken by the Minister of Education and Health is reprehensible. The said decisions have also been demanded to be corrected within 24 hours. According to the ministerial decision, labor exploitation in medical education will continue. The

committee had been protesting against attacks on medical personnel including doctors in hospitals and health institutions. At the same time, the committee also put forward the demand that government or similar subsistence allowance should be provided to resident doctors. The committee was also raising the issue of service facilities including the duty hours of the doctors . An agreement was reached between the Ministry of Health and the committee to provide a monthly government or similar (48 thousand) subsistence allowance two years ago . It was also decided to send the commission in writing for the implementation of the agreement.

Last August, the commission took a decision to proceed with seat determination and student admission process in private medical colleges for post-graduate studies only if the medical college administrators promised to provide the specified subsistence allowance. According to the officials of the commission, the medical college administrators were not ready to make a commitment.

In the first week of last August, the Commission called to fill the 'Self Appraisal Form' for seat determination at the post-graduate level of medical education . But the medical colleges did not submit the form.  PG is being taught in about 1100 seats in government and private. About 700 seats out of 1100 are being taught by private medical colleges.

After Prime Minister Oli's instructions, the Commission withdrew from its position. The dispute entered the meeting of the Medical Education Commission after the doctors warned that they would strike if the subsistence allowance was not given as per the agreement. Prime Minister Oli assigned the responsibility of two ministers to solve the dispute regarding the subsistence allowance provided by the private medical college in the meeting of the commission held on November 9.

At present private medical colleges are giving subsistence allowance of 19,000 to 24,000 per month to doctors. The provision of free study on the condition of serving two years in a private medical college is a new proposal. As the controversy grew, the private medical college owners themselves proposed to provide free teaching on the condition of serving for two years like in the government after completing their studies. Resident doctors are not satisfied with that. They say that there is no clear provision in this regard in government hospitals and there is a lack of law in private ones. They have already warned that they will protest if they do not pay 48,000 subsistence allowance.

In the midst of this long-standing dispute, the meeting of the Ministry of Education on Sunday decided that the private medical college should provide a monthly subsistence allowance of at least 25,000 to resident (resident) doctors who are doing paid post-graduate studies . In the said decision, it is mentioned that resident doctors should be provided allowance of 25,000 in the first year, 30,000 in the second year and 35,000 in the third year. Ministers Paudel and Bhattarai have said that the decision was reached after consultation with stakeholders.

In the same way, doctors who want to study free of charge in the private sector can do so after completing their studies with the confession of working for two years. Doctors who are admitted on the condition of working for two years will get 48,000 per month subsistence allowance like the government. It is said in the decision signed by the two ministers that "the government will make necessary legal arrangements to arrange for residential doctors who want to study for free to serve in the same educational institution for two years after their studies".

Similarly, it has been decided that private medical colleges should provide decent facilities to resident doctors according to the university and medical council and prevailing labor laws. It is said that these 3 decisions will be sent in writing to the relevant agencies for implementation. It is said that the decision will be implemented from the batch of the next academic year 2081/082. Minister Bhattarai said that the related act should be amended to implement the decision. He said that the law will be amended and implemented.

The resident doctor is angry saying that the government has ignored the suggestions given by the expert working group constituted by the government . The task force of the secretary of the Ministry of Health, Tank Prasad Barakoti, the coordinator, submitted a recommendation report to the Minister of Health Paudel in the last week of December. In the said report, it is also recommended to give salary allowance to resident doctors studying in private medical colleges. The recommendation of the committee is that intern doctors should get 50 percent of the salary of eighth level medical officers and resident doctors should get full salary of eighth level. The monthly salary of the eighth level is 48 thousand 737 rupees.

According to the committee, the private medical college gives a subsistence allowance of 18,000 to 24,000 to resident doctors and 10,000 to 13,000 to intern doctors. It is said that action should be taken against the medical college which does not provide the prescribed tabla facilities. The committee has also suggested to the government to make the postgraduate level of medical education free. It has been pointed out that as the trainees studying MD, MS, MDS, DM, MCH provide full-time medical services, study fees cannot be charged even according to international practice.

It has been suggested to arrange that resident doctors studying MD, MS and intern doctors who have completed MBBS/BDS should not be put on duty for more than 24 hours. It is mentioned in the report that putting them on duty for 40 hours will seriously affect the health of doctors and patients. The report said that only 24-hour duty should be imposed twice a week and provision should be made for weekly leave. It is mentioned in the report that