DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇵 Nepal /Economy & Trade

Nepal task force proposes Rs24,000 minimum monthly allowance for medical interns

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • A government task force recommended a minimum monthly allowance of Rs24,000 for medical interns to standardize payments across public and private colleges.
  • The proposal suggests interns receive 50% of an eighth-level government health worker's starting salary, addressing current disparities where private colleges pay around Rs13,000 and some government ones up to Rs23,000.
  • Intern doctors have advocated for equal allowances due to their workload, including night shifts and direct patient care, with calls for the Medical Education Commission to enforce the decision this year.

Medical interns in Nepal may soon see a standardized minimum monthly allowance of Rs24,000, following a recommendation from a government task force. This move aims to rectify the wide disparities in payments between public and private medical colleges, where current intern allowances range from approximately Rs13,000 to Rs23,000 per month.

The task force, led by Chandra Kanta Bhusal from the Ministry of Education, proposed that intern doctors receive 50 percent of the starting salary of an eighth-level government health worker. This recommendation stems from ongoing complaints by intern doctors who argue that their clinical duties are similar across institutions, yet their compensation varies significantly.

The government appears positive about implementing equal allowances for intern doctors. The decision should be enforced through the Medical Education Commission from this year itself.

· Dilli HarijanAn MBBS student at Kathmandu University commenting on the government's stance and the urgency of enforcing the new allowance.

Intern doctors have long contended that the pay gap is unfair, especially considering their involvement in night shifts and direct patient care. "The government appears positive about implementing equal allowances for intern doctors," said Dilli Harijan, an MBBS student at Kathmandu University. "The decision should be enforced through the Medical Education Commission from this year itself."

Students have reportedly raised the issue with high-ranking officials, including the Prime Minister and Health Minister. The recommendation follows months of campaigning by MBBS and BDS students demanding uniform internship allowances. The task force also suggested extending this provision to other medical programs requiring a one-year internship, recognizing the internship period as an integral part of medical education and bedside teaching.

The internship period is an inseparable part of bedside teaching and learning in medical education. Considering the workload, night duties and compulsory hospital service, it is reasonable to ensure minimum requirements including housing, food, transport and other basic facilities.

· Task force reportThe report justifying the need for standardized minimum requirements for intern doctors.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog