The Nepal Health Professionals’ Council plans to start licence examination for an additional 27 faculties within this year to maintain the quality of health professionals.

Dhana Prasad Paudel, NHPC registrar, said, “Licence examination for health professionals will begin this year itself. It is an attempt to maintain the quality of medicos.”

NHPC has been issuing licence to health professionals based on their academic certificates since the year 1999.

A total of 54,000 professionals have registered with NHPC so far. Before licence issuance, NHPC registers health assistants, lab technicians, health workers, laboratory technicians, public health professionals, microbiologist, physiotherapists, Ayurveda workers, dental hygienists and ophthalmic assistants. He added, “The licence examination process will begin once a taskforce formed for the same submits its report.”

NHPC has been providing licence to medical practitioners affiliated to 27 faculties based on their certificates. The faculties include radiography, health lab, public health, optometry and homeopathy. The licence will be of three types: B level, A level and specialisation. Till date, 44,000 medical professionals associated with 27 faculties have received licences based on their certificates. Paudel said, “Distance and online learning is becoming popular these days, but these modes do not ensure quality.”

Nepal Health Professional Council was established under the Nepal Health Professional Council Act 2053 with an aim to register all "health professionals" other than medical doctors and nurses according to their qualification; and bring them into a system as to make their services effective, timely and in a scientific manner.

NHPC Act Clause 4 provisions a 13-member council comprising chairman and other members.

NHPC chairman should be a health professional with five years of experience after bachelors degree. The government nominates the NHPC chief.

Members should chairman or representatives of Nepal Pharmaceutical Association, Radiological Society, or from the fields of Pathology, Physiotherapy and Public Health. The government should nominate them on the recommendation of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nepal. Dean or representative of the Institute of Medicine under the Tribhuvan University should also be included as members along with representative of the Nepal Medical Council.

NMC conducts licence tests for medical and MBBS graduates. Nursing Council is entrusted with conducting licence tests for nurses.

source: the himalayan times,21 Oct 2013