A source close to Prime Minister Sushila Karki has revealed that she is reconsidering the recommendation of Dr Sangita Mishra for the position of minister of health and population.
"The prime minister has been saying that her [Dr Mishra’s] name needs to be reconsidered," the source said, adding, "There’s a possibility of it being put on hold."
The source said that it is unclear why the prime minister wishes to reconsider Dr Mishra's name after having recommended her. While the swearing-in of the other four recommended ministers is scheduled for Monday, Dr Mishra’s may not take place.
PM Karki had sent the names of five new ministers, including Dr Mishra, to the President’s Office on Sunday evening.
The other four recommended ministers are Mahabir Pun for the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology; Anil Kumar Sinha for the Ministry of Industry and Land Reform; Jagdish Kharel for the Ministry of Communications, Information, and Technology; and Dr Madan Pariyar for the Ministry of Agriculture.
Dr Mishra has already resigned from her position as additional secretary.
Previously, Dr Mishra was in the race to become secretary. However, a Cabinet meeting held on March 6 appointed Dr Bikash Devkota as secretary instead of her. The decision, which was made bypassing seniority, sparked controversy.
The names of additional secretaries Dr Sangita Kaushal Mishra, Dr Bikash Devkota, and Dr Tanka Barakoti had been recommended for the position.
Dr Mishra expressed dissatisfaction through various channels over the appointment of a junior colleague as health secretary by the Cabinet.
Dr Mishra joined the health service in 2000 and worked there for about a year. She then went to the United States to study on a Fulbright scholarship.
She re-entered the health service on September 26, 2013, after securing a position in the 11th level through open competition.
She has served as director general of the Department of Health Services, head of Koshi Hospital, and head of Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital.
Her work at Koshi Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and her tenure as head of the maternity hospital have been widely praised.
