Of course, the problem is not only in the medical profession. A long list of problems and possibilities can be drawn up if the debate is focused on any profession. Therefore, the primary responsibility of the state is to give the impression of positive possibilities to the human resources associated with every profession.
Migration from one settlement to another, from one region to another and from one country to another is a regular practice of human civilization. Mankind has advanced and prospered by moving within or outside the country in search of convenience, study, employment and enterprise.
Humans have progressed in knowledge, skills, culture, ideas, communication and technology through such a flow. Therefore, it is not advisable to make absolutely negative comments about going abroad. But if the people of a particular country make going abroad their main goal, it is a matter of concern for the society and the state. As a
, 2,318 doctors went abroad in 2023 alone, while a total of 2,692 new doctors were registered in the Medical Council that year. In this way, if as many doctors are produced in the country every year, as many migrate abroad, it must be assumed that our health sector is waiting for a disaster.
The working group formed to study the improvement of service facilities for doctors and health workers submitted a report to Health Minister Pradeep Paudel on Sunday. According to the data collected by the report, not only last year, but in the last four years, the number of doctors going abroad is increasing in proportion to newly registered doctors. In 2020, 2131 people were newly registered while 769 people went abroad. 1716 new doctors were registered in 2021, 2085 in 2022 and 2692 in 2023. In the corresponding year, 1327, 1954 and 2318 people have gone abroad respectively.
Similarly, it has been found that 41 out of 43 people who participated in the survey conducted among the students who passed MBBS from the Institute of Medical Sciences (IOM) Maharajganj campus of the University have already registered their name in the examination to go abroad. The state has no choice but to respect the individual's right to choose. But if the tendency of doctors to migrate abroad is normalized, the comment that no one wants to live in this country will be more established. The process of becoming a
doctor is relatively difficult and expensive. For this, the hard work and time of the concerned person is invested. The financial investment of the family and the state is also high. If the doctors who are prepared in this way leave, not only a skilled workforce will leave, but the society and the state will also be deprived of the return of investment of all concerned.
On the other hand, such exiting manpower tends to be young or of active age, who have a high desire to study and work. When such manpower leaves, Nepal also loses the opportunity to gain demographic benefits. There are many such angles that the state should be serious about. He should not stop the individual in a compelling way, but should build a foundation where he can believe that the future will be better. That effort will be sustainable.
The report of the committee formed by the government mentions some reasons why doctors want to go abroad. Mainly due to low salary and facilities, lack of incentives for study-research and professional development, incidents of violence in health institutions and lack of sophisticated health institutions are pushing them abroad. If one goes by the empiricist views held personally by those connected with the medical field, the stated reason seems correct. As a
, MBBS studies cost 45 lakh 95 thousand 720 rupees. But his minimum monthly salary scale (excluding grade) is only 48 thousand 737. This salary, which is prepared by high investment, is extremely low. Of course, the same manpower gets many times more salary and facilities when he goes special. The opportunity to develop personal abilities and learn new skills is also extremely low here.
It's not just the medical profession that has the problem. A long list of problems and possibilities can be drawn up if the debate is focused on any profession. Therefore, the primary responsibility of the state is to give the impression of positive possibilities to the human resources associated with every profession.
Any person can contribute to the state only if he sees the possibility of a positive personality and a secure future. But the data of 2300 doctors leaving in a year has a clear message - it is not encouraging even for skilled manpower. It is necessary for the government to immediately adopt an intervention policy to guide not only the medical field but also the social psychology as a whole in a positive way.
