KATHMANDU:-  The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has expressed serious concern over the Nepal Medical Council’s decision to revoke the licenses of 36 Nepali doctors abroad.

In a press release on Tuesday, spokesperson of the association, Somnath Sapkota, stated that the decision to revoke the licenses of Nepali doctors abroad who are Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) has had a negative impact not only on the professional future of the concerned doctors but also on the morale of the entire Nepali medical community working abroad.

He also mentioned in the statement that it is not justified to question or take away the professional identity of doctors based on their residence when the constitution has already ensured the rights of non-resident Nepalis.

Similarly, he urged that since the medical profession is a sensitive field directly related to human services, consultation, clear basis, and procedural transparency be mandatory when making such decisions.

He said, “It is a wrong practice to discourage highly skilled doctors when the government has put forward a policy of skill transfer.” We draw the government’s attention to the need to implement the motto of ‘Once a Nepali, always a Nepali’ and formulate an inclusive policy that respects the contribution of the diaspora and ensures the utilization of their skills and expertise,” the statement further said.

The NRNA has also urged that a fair, transparent, and practical solution be found through necessary dialogue with relevant stakeholders rather than unilaterally, and that the doctors whose licenses have been revoked be reconsidered.

The Medical Council had published a notice in the national daily Gorkhapatra revoking the licenses of 36 doctors, 17 on April 21 and 19 on April 22, for renouncing their Nepali citizenship.