Promoting Journalism

The media sector plays an important role in any democratic set-up. In Nepal also, journalists have contributed significantly, first in the struggle for democracy and later also in the consolidation process of the same. it is encouraging that after the re-ushering in of democracy, Nepalese journalism has seen rapid growth. However, there are still many problems faced by the country's Fourth Estate, which are hindering its proper growth. Representatives of the Nepalese journalists had time and again informed the government about the problems faced by the sector and the present government had promptly formed a Journalism Sector Study and Recommendation Task Force to look into the grievances of the journalists. The Task Force handed over its report with different suggestions to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communications Ram Chandra Poudel the other day. it should be an encouraging piece of news for all the Nepalese journalists that Deputy Prime Minister Poudel has said the present government is committed for the promotion of the journalism sector.

One of the major problems of the Nepalese newspapers, is the unavailability of advertisements. This has greatly affected their economic  sustainability. Therefore one of the biggest demands of the private sector media, has been that they too should receive the public notices and welfare advertisements provided by the government and its various departments. It is indeed pragmatic of the present Task Force to have seriously studied this problem of the Nepalese journalism sector. It is stated that other issues such as problems of working journalists and journalists outside Kathmandu Valley, laws pertaining to right of information, constraints facing literary journalism and even transport and health facilities for journalists have also been looked into. However, it must be understood that it would not be possible to provide different facilities to all the newspapers that have been registered. Only newspapers meeting the criteria of the Audit Bureau of Circulation will be eligible to get government help. That the government has taken the initiative to study the problems of the media sector and come up with different recommendations, is a positive development for all the working journalists. With proper implementation, it can be hoped the suggestions provided by the Task Force will significantly help in promoting the cause of Nepalese journalism.

Medical Achievement

THE call for health for all by the year 2000 A.D. may not be an easy target to be achieved as far as the local conditions permit but the government's commitment stands on its ground. Its is a fact that a majority of the people are deprived of the health services due to them because of the resource crunch as well as the lack of quilified medical personnel to attend to the needs of the patients. It needs no reiteration that the government is committed to see to it that the health conditions of the people are up to ;the mark so that the overall development efforts of the country are able to minimise poverty to a great extent. The medical personnel we have at hand are quite quilified and are at par with what can be called the international standard. But a question arises if they are getting the facilities and remuneration that befit their stature. This, indeed, is an unfortunate scenario. The "people" who perform virtual miracles should not only be recognised but be compensated adequately.

As per news reports, a 12 kilogramme tumour was extracted, through surgery, from the stomach of a seventy-year old woman at B.P. Memorial Cancer Hospital. This itself speaks of the ability and knowledge of the medical personnel that we possess. Such doctors ought to be encouraged and given due recognition so that they would be encouraged to carry out the mission that they have undertaken. The government too on its part be responsive to the needs of the quilified medical personnel so that they can deliver their best. Cancer is, in fact, a scourge all over the world and a complete cure for it has proved elusive despite the decades of reserch devoted on this particular disesse. The ability of the Nepalese doctors has been demonstrated time and again so the need arises for enhancing the status of the doctors socially as well as financially so that they would be able to utilise their skills to the maximum an thereby relieve the sufferings of the patients.