The Ministry of Health and Food Safety, through its Internal Administration Branch, has issued new instructions to all subordinate academies, departments, hospitals and offices on the recruitment of personnel through contract service. The circular, issued following a secretary-level decision dated Asar 30, 2083, clarifies the circumstances under which contract employees may be hired and requires concerned institutions to comply with the Nepal Health Service Act, Public Procurement Regulations and Contract Service Directive.

Under the Nepal Health Service Act, contract personnel may be used when a doctor or health worker is away on study or extraordinary leave for the period of that absence, or when an approved post has become vacant and the required vacancy requisition has already been forwarded to the Public Service Commission but permanent recruitment has not yet been completed. For other contract hiring, the office must have an approved staffing position, that position must actually be vacant, sufficient budget must have been allocated and the manpower must be necessary for regular office operations.

Where no approved vacant position exists but additional personnel are necessary to implement an approved programme, the authorized official must justify the need and obtain the required consent from the concerned government authorities before employing staff on contract. The ministry has further instructed that all such recruitment must follow an open, transparent and competitive selection process, rather than direct or arbitrary appointments.