Doctors and staffers at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) gathered for the hospital´s anniversary function were taken aback when Minister for Education Madhav Poudel, who as invited as the chief guest, broached the subject of granting affiliations to new medical colleges.

Most of the officials and staffers did not anticipate such a speech from Minister Poudel. The staffers who had expected the minister to announce measures to strengthen Institute of Medicine, the institution that oversees TUTH, were alarmed by Poudel´s speech.

Professor Prakash Sayami, dean of the Institute of Medicine (IoM), who came to deliver a speech later, asked the hospital´s staffers who were for new affiliations to raise hand. Not a single hand went up. But when he called on those who were against new affiliations to raise hand, all hands went up.

Dean Sayami´s goal was to convey a clear message to the minister that the IoM is not in the mood to grant new affiliations. The officials of IoM believe that the institute is not prepared to deal with new affiliations and the move would tarnish the institute´s image in the long-run.

"TU and IoM have had serious differences over whether to grant affiliations to new medical colleges for years. Matters came to a head recently when the TU formed a separate committee to grant affiliations to new medical colleges, leading to Dean Sayami´s resignation," Professor Dinesh Binod Pokhrel, chief of University Teachers´ Association at IoM said.

The university is preparing to provide affiliations to National Medical College, Manamohan Medical College, People´s Dental and Medical College, and Medical College of Nepal Police without taking IoM´s consent. People familiar with the proceedings believe that kickbacks worth hundreds of millions of rupees are set to change hands in the process.

Dr Pokhrel said that the dean´s office would come under a huge pressure if new affiliations are granted to medical colleges. "He is not the type of person to bow to unnecessary political pressure. So he thought it better to resign," Dr Pokhrel added.

Following Dr Govinda KC´s fast-unto-death protest against political appointments at IoM, Dr Sayami was appointed as the institute´s dean August last year. All doctors, students and staffers at TUTH supported Dr KC´s campaign to end political appointments at IoM, forcing the government and the TU to accede to their demands. They believe that the political interference will ruin the institution, the only institution on which the nation can feel proud.

The interference, however, has not lessened after his appointment. Dr Sayami has already resigned twice because of mounting pressure over new affiliations.
"Dr Sayami did not become dean by his own wish and will not bow to any kind of political pressure," Dr Pokhrel said. It is said that Dr Sayami resigned due to non-cooperation from the TU officials on issues like staff promotion and recruitment.

"Several faculty teachers have not been promoted since years. Dozens have been working under contract for years," he said, adding that a huge vacuum will be created if the staffers are not promoted in time.

Professor Bimal Sinha said that the institute is not in the position to extend affiliations to new medical colleges given the existing infrastructures, faculties and manpower. "How can we extend affiliation when several departments are already reeling under faculty crunch," questioned Dr Sinha.

Dr Sinha said that the examination unit remains busy all year round and the additional task cannot be fulfilled by the existing manpower. He claimed that most of the medical colleges are reeling under faculty crunch and quality will be compromised if new affiliations are granted in present context. He said that private medical colleges have been offering handsome salaries to lure away contract teachers from IoM which is finding it difficult to retain such teachers.

Other officials at the dean´s office said that the institute is not against extending affiliations but it cannot be done under the existing resources. "We are ready to produce manpower but the government should respond to our problems first," an official at the dean´s office said.

The IoM, a medical college with good national and regional reputation, has been demanding autonomy from the TU since long.

Dr Sayami´s resignation unfortunate: Minister Poudel

Minister for Education Madhav Poudel said that he has been trying his best to persuade Dean Sayami to withdraw his resignation. Minister Poudel said that the government is ready to sort out all the problems faced by the IoM and look into the grievances of Dean Sayami.

"Professor Sayami´s resignation is unfortunate. He is very honest and capable. The institution needs his expertise," he said, adding that he has been trying to contact Dr Sayami to persuade him to withdraw his resignation.

Minister Poudel acknowledged that it was wrong to form a separate committee to give affiliations to private college bypassing IOM. "IoM has to regulate, supervise and oversee the institutions to maintain quality," he said He said that the TU should not interfere in IoM´s affairs and should immediately sort out all the problems. He said that he has asked the vice chancellor (VC) of TU to sort out the problems.

He claimed that the ministry has not interfered in the IoM´s affairs, but he personally favors the decision to extend affiliations to more medical colleges. "We are ready to respond to all the problems, including manpower crunch and budget deficit," he added.

source: republica,9 Dec 2013