KATHMANDU, June 17: The Supreme Court on Sunday stayed the government´s decision to operate Bir Hospital Trauma Centre under the health ministry.
The apex court, as per the order issued by a single bench of Justice Prakash Basti, has ordered the government not to implement its decision until June 24 when the next hearing on the case will take place.
A cabinet meeting on May 3 had decided to hand over the trauma center to the health ministry following a long-drawn controversy between the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) and the health ministry in this regard.
The trauma center has drawn controversy since Health Minister Rajendra Mahato has been staking the ministry´s claim to the center.
The 200-bed modern medical center plans to recruit some 600 staffers and mobilize around Rs 500 million in the initial phase for purchase of medical equipment.
The trauma center was built by the Indian government as one of the largest and most sophisticated medical institutions of the country. Then Indian Prime Minister IK Gujaral had laid the foundation stone for the facility 17 years ago.
The trauma center was primarily registered as a subsidiary property of Bir Hospital, which is governed by NAMS, an autonomous body governed by NAMS Act 2063.
SC has also asked the government to furnish clarifications within 15 days as to why it took such a decision.
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