Kathmandu: Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel has admitted that the health professionals are draining due to failure to adopt appropriate policy measures. In his address to the fifth convocation ceremony of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) Bir Hospital, he further claimed that the situation of the State was also to blame for brain drain alongside the policy lacunas.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Paudel shared that more than 1,500 home-grown health professionals are going abroad every year, which has resulted in a dearth of human resources required for the health sector. He emphasized that this challenge should now be averted through appropriate policy choice and reforms, calling for cooperation from all sides to that end.
Minister Paudel, who also serves as the Vice-Chancellor of NAMS, lauded the institution’s contribution to the production of qualified and reliable human resources in Nepal. He noted the almost non-existence of human resources in some health facilities outside the Valley and urged skilled graduates to serve these areas with strong determination. He also mentioned that the government is making necessary plans to increase the number of doctors and nurses by conducting an organization and management survey (O and M) and addressing the brain drain challenge.