Nepal Seeks Public Input on Three Key Health Bill Amendments

The Ministry of Health and Population has made public the drafts of three important health bill amendments and is seeking suggestions from the public.

The ministry has made available the drafts of the Infant Milk Substitutes (Control of Sale and Distribution) Act, 2049, the Health Workers and Health Institutions Safety Concerns Act, 2066, and the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2075.

The ministry has requested interested individuals, health workers, health institutions, and stakeholders to submit their suggestions to the ministry’s law division by Ashar 12, 2083, in the prescribed format.

Key Provisions

The draft of the Infant Milk Substitutes (Control of Sale and Distribution) Act, 2049, proposes to make the protection and promotion of breastfeeding more effective.

The draft also proposes to prohibit health workers from recommending infant milk substitutes except in certain circumstances, to allow the government to operate breastfeeding management centers, and to establish breastfeeding protection and promotion committees at the provincial and local levels.

The draft of the Health Workers and Health Institutions Safety Concerns Act, 2066, proposes to bring students studying to be health professionals under the purview of the act, to prohibit the carrying of weapons in health institutions, and to address violence or harassment against health workers and students.

The draft also proposes to give the ministry the authority to formulate necessary guidelines, procedures, and standards for the implementation of the act.

The draft of the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2075, proposes to ensure that health institutions providing maternity services have skilled health workers or trained midwives, to ensure respectful maternity care, and to prohibit physical or mental violence against pregnant and postpartum women.

The draft also proposes to increase maternity leave from a minimum of 98 days to six months, to make abortion services more accessible, and to prioritize safe motherhood, emergency obstetric care, newborn care, family planning, and safe abortion services during emergencies.

The ministry will revise the drafts based on the suggestions received and move forward with the necessary legal procedures.