The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has opened the draft Health Workers and Health Institutions Security (Second Amendment) Act, 2083 for public consultation under the Legislation Act, 2081. The draft was published following a ministerial-level decision on Shrawan 6, 2083, and citizens and stakeholders have been invited to submit comments to the ministry’s Law Section at law.section@mohp.gov.np within seven days, by Shrawan 12, 2083.

A major proposed change is the inclusion of “students under study” within the law’s protection. The draft defines such students as those studying subjects that require registration with the relevant health professional council, and expands an existing provision so that prohibited conduct against health-institution employees would also cover these students. The amendment would therefore extend statutory protection beyond employed health workers to students training within health-related institutions.

The draft also proposes explicitly prohibiting the display or use of criminal force while carrying weapons in connection with health institutions, and correspondingly updates the punishment provision so the new offence is covered. It also revises the definition of “ministry” to mean the Government of Nepal ministry responsible for health matters, rather than tying the law to a specific ministry name.

Another proposed provision would authorize the ministry to issue necessary directives, procedures and standards for implementing the Act and its regulations. The ministry has asked the public to identify the relevant clause, suggest alternative wording or provisions, and provide justification for each recommendation.