Male students can now pursue nursing courses in the country.
Nepal Nursing Council has issued a notice stating that it allotted 15 percent quota for male students who want to pursue nursing courses in the academic session 2075/076.
The President of Nepal Nursing Council Goma Devi Niraula said that the decade-long biasness existed in medical education has been addressed now.
"There is no gender bias in pharmacy education. Why there should be any gender bias in nursing education? That's why such trend was discontinued. Male students can also study nursing," Niraula told Setopati.
Male students at different campuses had started to study nursing after 1999 for four years. More than 80 male students studying nursing are still involved in health services. Later, the nursing education was allowed only to girls.
Niraula further said that the nature of patients visiting hospitals has also brought the situation to include male students in nursing education. "Male nurses can better address the condition of male patients," she said, "The Council thus paved the way for male nurses so that the complaints of patients and their requirements can be addressed."
Earlier, male students willing to pursue nursing courses had to study abroad.
According to Niraula, those students completing their nursing education abroad have acquired licenses from the Council. "Male students after being barred from studying nursing here in the home country started to pursue education in abroad," she said, "This is a huge relief for them as now they have opportunity to study here at the home. It can be said as one of the reforms in education system of Nepal."
Nursing education can be pursued in 125 different campuses in the country. It is estimated that as many as 155 male students will acquire nursing education annually. Around 7740 nurses are currently produced from 125 campuses annually.
