Old paramedical college transforms into Dadeldhura Medical College

By Pushkar Bhandari,Dadeldhura, July 21: Dadeldhura Paramedical College, established in 2051 B.S, is currently being transformed into Dadeldhura Medical College.

The medical college is being established at Hawaiground, near the Mahakali Highway in Kirtipur, Amargadhi Municipality 8. This highway connects Dadeldhura and Baitadi.

Former Minister Bhakta Bahadur Balayar informed that a Korean organisation named Hosma Council registered with the Social Welfare Council in coordination with the Rural Development Service Center of Doti, had established a paramedical college to impart education to Medical Assistance and Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM). 

However, the paramedical college was closed in 2058 B.S. due to the ongoing Maoist insurgency, said Balayar. 

He said that a group of people, including then-Mayor Mohan Pathak of Amargadhi Municipality, wanted to run the college in the same building. However, the college was eventually closed down.

After the closure of the college, about 84 acres of land, along with the buildings, were registered in the name of Dadeldhura Education Campus.

Following the peace process of 2062-2063 B.S., a paramedical college was established, under the leadership of Maoist leaders at the old hospital near Pokhara Gad, which is located at the border of Amargadhi Municipality-7 and 6.

According to Balayar, in 2079, after the Nepal government closed the CMA and ANM subjects, the paramedical college was shut down again.

He said that the college was closed because it needed its own hospital for staff nurses. 

However, he expressed happiness that a medical college was established at the same place 30 years after the establishment of the paramedical college.

He became the Minister of State for Health in 2051 B.S, the Minister for Environment and Population in 2056 B.S and the Minister of Science and Technology in 2060 B.S. He led the efforts to establish and run the Paramedical College. 

The process of repairing and building the necessary infrastructure for Dadeldhura Medical College, which started last year, has progressed significantly.

Hemnath Joshi, Dean of the College, informed that since last year, the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Technology (BMLT) course started being taught at Dadeldhura Medical College in 2079 B.S under the Faculty of Health Sciences of Sudurpaschim University.

According to him, a quota of 20 students each for B.Sc Nursing and Public Health, and 60 students for BMLT, has been called for this year.

The college will receive approval only after the on-site survey by the Medical Education Commission team.

He mentioned that the renovation of 27 rooms of the old Paramedical building for the use of classrooms is ongoing. 

He added that after Dadeldhura Multiple Campus transferred the buildings and land to the Medical College, the repair work is currently under progress. 

He stated that the building maintenance work for the administrative office and classrooms is ongoing. 

He mentioned that the medical college, which is currently operating at Dadeldhura Hospital, will begin its classes in its own building once the maintenance work is completed.