Bir Hospital and NAMS to Operate Separately After Seven Years

After seven years, Bir Hospital and the Nepal Academy of Health Sciences (NAMS) will function as separate entities, following an agreement reached during a meeting of the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Commission under the House of Representatives (HoR) today.

The meeting, held at Singha Durbar, deliberated on the Bill to amend certain Nepalese laws, including provisions of the National Academy of Medical Sciences Act, 2063 (2006). Committee President Bimala Subedi confirmed that Clause-44 of the Bill includes the decision to separate Bir Hospital from NAMS in the future.

Several members of the committee, including Mahesh Bartaula, Ranju Kumari Jha, Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, and Ram Kumar Rai, emphasized the need for Bir Hospital to remain under government ownership, arguing that there should be a central hospital directly subordinate to the government.

Health and Population Minister Pradip Paudel informed the committee that the government is drafting amendments to the Drugs Act-2035 BS. However, he acknowledged that practical challenges remain until the amendments are finalized. The meeting also discussed Clause-12 of the Act, which pertains to drug manufacturing, licensing terms, recommendation letters, certificates, and renewal procedures.

This decision is expected to redefine the governance of Nepal’s oldest hospital and its role in the national healthcare system.