B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) is one of Nepal’s leading academic health institutions. The ‘autonomous’ Health Science University located in Dharan, Eastern Nepal was founded in 1993 with the mission of improving the health status of people of Nepal by providing quality medical care at affordable cost and generating highly skilled human resources to fill the gaps in health sector of Nepal. The institute runs 813 bed tertiary level hospital and runs academic programs in medical, dental, nursing, allied-health sciences and basic health sciences ranging from undergraduate to doctorate level including clinical fellowship programs and specialized trainings. Over the last 28 years, the institute has played pivotal role in providing comprehensive healthcare to significant population of Eastern and mid-Nepal as well as neighbouring population of India. Over these years, the institute has trained hundreds of skilled, compassionate, and socially accountable health workforces who are acting as agents of change not only in Nepal but throughout the world.

Unfortunately, the institution once heralded as the centre for excellence in South Asia for medical education and patient care is today struggling to hold up its identity and to defend the glorious past due to series of troubled management. Extreme political interference in terms of appointment of leadership roles have led to sheer backsliding of the institute. This certainly has led to multifaceted effect; all performance indicators starting from patient care to medical education and research are at historic low. We, the alumni of BPKIHS from all over the world are extremely saddened, outraged and seriously concerned about the situation of our alma mater.

Thus, with this petition, we want to draw the attention of concerned authorities of government of Nepal, we request the Chancellor of BPKIHS (The Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal) to take proactive steps to diffuse the acute crisis at BPKIHS and to reform the governance structure of the institute ensuring no political interference and solely prioritizing meritocracy, patient care and academic excellence. Institutions like BPKIHS are above partisan politics, they should be regarded as matter of national pride.

We have high hopes this petition will be given due consideration and will pave the way to restore the past glory of BPKIHS.