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The Chitwan National Park (CNP) on Wednesday made public three persons arrested for killing two rhinos inside the park. They were paraded amid a press conference here today. Two others are on the run, said the CNP. The three—Hom Bahadur BK, Krishna Bahadur Mahato and Shikharam Tharu, all of Dharampur of Ramgram Municipality-18 in Nawalparasi district were arrested red-handed selling rhino horns, said the CNP Chief Conservation Officer Dil Bahadur Pun. They were arrested on April 20. The Division Forest Office, Nawalparasi has launched an investigation, he said. According to the CNP, a 12-year-old female rhino and her four-year-old child were killed in the Nandabhauju Community Forest under the buffer zone of the CNP on January 20, 2023.  

A person died on the spot and two others were injured after being struck by lightning at Gauriganj Rural Municipality-6 in Jhapa on Wednesday. Police identified the deceased as Bijaya Sardar (15) of Khajurgachhi in the Rural Municipality. Khagendra Rijal, spokesperson at the District Police Office Jhapa, said that the incident occurred while he was going towards the field. Shikandar Alam (20) and Manijur Alam (16) of Phulabari, India were injured in the incident. They have been sent to Medimax Hospital at Gauradaha for treatment, spokesperson Rijal said.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) along with Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is pleased to announce the hosting of a Regional Consultation Meeting focused on “Promoting Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture for Improving Nutrition Security and Health of Smallholders in South Asia.” This significant event will convene key stakeholders to collectively address the pressing issues of nutrition and health in the region, with a specific emphasis on smallholder farmers.  Covering approximately 24 percent of the global population within just three percent of the world’s landmass, the South Asian region faces the highest population density worldwide. With around 67 percent of the population residing in rural areas and depending on agriculture, fisheries, and forest products for their livelihoods, the region continues to confront the challenge of undernutrition. While progress has been made in recent years, the prevalence of undernourishment remains significant, impacting an estimated 267m individuals. According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has the world’s highest hunger level, including the highest child stunting rate, and by far the highest child wasting rate of any world region. Recognizing the critical importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on SDG II aimed at ending hunger, the SAARC Agriculture Vision 2020 underscores the need for food and nutrition security in the region. In response to this imperative, the upcoming regional consultation meeting will adopt a targeted approach, establishing a connection between agriculture, nutrition, and health. By promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture, stakeholders aim to improve the nutrition and health outcomes of smallholder farmers, as well as consumers. The Nutrition Smart Community, demonstrated by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) aims to address malnutrition, with a particular focus on children under five years of age and women of reproductive age, by employing a comprehensive approach that involves multiple sectors and stakeholders. This approach encompasses integrated farming systems, which connect agriculture and natural resource management to ensure nutrition security. Additionally, the initiative focuses on institution building, nutrition education, nutrition-sensitive village micro-planning and access to government’s food and nutrition programs. Implemented across roughly 260 villages in vulnerable regions of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, the Nutrition Smart Community project operates under the larger initiative called the “Regional Program for Promoting a Multisectoral Approach for Nutrition Smart Villages in Bangladesh, Nepal, and India.” The meeting is expected to yield several outputs, including an analysis of nutritional status at the country level, identification of key measures relevant to nutrition-sensitive agriculture, exploration of opportunities for promoting and expanding nutrition-sensitive agriculture in the region, and the publication of a comprehensive book capturing the findings and recommendations. About 30-35 participants, including high-profile dignitaries, representatives from SAARC member countries, Government officials from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal along with personnel from Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and its collaborative partners will take part in the workshop. During the workshop, seven SAARC countries will present their country’s situation focusing on the specific thematic areas along with learning and experiences from WHH Nutrition Smart Communities in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. Moreover, there will be informative keynote presentations focusing on the transformation of food systems and nutrition, as well as an overview of the status of child nutrition in South Asia during the ongoing global crisis. Welthungerhilfe, a prominent development partner, has joined hands with SAARC to support and contribute to the Regional Consultation Meeting. This partnership exemplifies the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders, including governments, private sectors, international communities, cooperatives, farmers and civil societies, to tackle the issue of nutrition and health in the region.

The CPN-UML has called a Parliamentary Party meeting on Wednesday. UML Whip Mahesh Bartaula said that the meeting has been called for 1: 30 pm today. “Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had said that Pritam Singh had visited India time and again to make him the Prime Minister.  This is not a common issue” he said, adding, “We have our serious objection to Prime Minister Dahal’s statement. The meeting was called to discuss this topic and contemporary issues.” He said that the party cannot be ignorant of this matter. “The Prime Minister made by the Parliament said that India plays an instrumental role to make the Prime Minister in the country. His statement is condemnable. We cannot stay mum by ignoring the issue,” Bartaula said. During a program organized to launch the book in Kathmandu on Monday evening, Prime Minister Dahal had said that Pritam Singh visited Delhi many times to make him the Prime Minister. His statement has been roundly criticized on social media.  

The CPN-UML, the main opposition in the Lumbini provincial parliament, has finally decided to support the budget presented for the fiscal year 2023/24. The party had been obstructing the Province Assembly session till Tuesday, expressing its dissatisfaction over the government's annual estimation of income and expenditure for the upcoming fiscal. The government and the party had sat for talks last night that ended conclusively. Chief Minister Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary has promised to address the party's concerns in the PA session and the party has decided to allow the PA conduct its business from today, according to UML Province Chief Tulasi Chaudhary. Chief Minister Chaudhary and Speaker Tularam Gharti forged consensus through talks with the UML which had boycotted the meeting. Opposition party leader Leela Giri, deputy leader Chet Narayan Acharya and chief whip Chaudhary participated in the talks. The Province Assembly which was postponed on Tuesday has been called for today after the agreement between the ruling and the opposition sides. The Province Assembly Secretary Durlav Kumar Pun Magar has issued a notice stating that the 17th meeting of the second session of the Province Assembly that was put off on Tuesday has been called for 1.00 pm today. It is stated in the notice that the meeting has been called in accordance with the Rule 12 (3) of the Province Assembly Regulation as directed by the Speaker.    

The Medical Education Commission (MEC), the national regulatory body for medical education, has estimated that Nepal will require more than 250,000 medical personnel by the fiscal year 2030/31. The projection is based on the findings of a study conducted in the fiscal year 2020/21. The commission said that 358,938 personnel, including female community health volunteers (FCHVs) and office assistants in both the government and private health institutions, will be needed across the country by 2030/31, adding that the country will require 257,091 doctors and health workers by that time. “The number of required personnel are projected on the basis of retirement and migration of health practitioners along with the construction of health institutions in the country,” said Dr Shree Krishna Giri, vice-chair of the commission. The commission’s projections come at a time when an increasing number of medical doctors and nurses are leaving the country. While there was a need for 234,361 medical personnel in the country’s health institutions in the fiscal year 2020/2021, only 178,309 were found working at those institutions during the period. The World Health Organization’s World Health Report 2006 estimates that at least 2.5 medical staff (physicians, nurses and midwives) are needed per 1,000 people to provide adequate coverage with primary care interventions. The commission has projected that Nepal’s health facilities will require 16,784 MBBS doctors, 15,435 specialist consultants (MDs) and 411 nursing professionals (Master’s completed) by 2031. Additionally, 3,359 nursing assistants (Bachelor level), 88,024 nursing and obstetrics assistants (Certificate level), 2,083 traditional and alternative medicine professionals (Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees), 2,118 traditional and assistant physicians technical (Certificate level) will be needed to ensure adequate healthcare coverage. According to the commission, 2,688 personnel related to other health professions (Master’s Degree), 23,150 (Bachelor’s Degree) in other health-related auxiliary professions and 104,039 personnel (Certificate level) in other auxiliary professions will have to be produced by then. The commission stated that 57,043 FCHVs and office assistants, 44, 800 cleaning staff and drivers will be required by then. The medical education regulatory body stated that 7,659 medical human resources with Bachelor’s degree, 1,684 with Master’s degree and 109 with Post-master’s Degree will be produced this year. It informed that 12,102 health workers will be produced in 11 medium and basic level subjects, including nursing, general medicine, dental science, ayurvedic health science, physiotherapy and pharmacy.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 200 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 110, 600 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 110, 400 per tola on Tuesday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 100, 050 per tola. It was traded at Rs 109, 850 per tola. Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,380 per tola today.

The country will see partial to general changes today due to the influence of monsoon wind. Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is predicted in some parts of the country. According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, light to moderate rainfall is likely to take place in some parts of the country this afternoon. Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is predicted to occur in some areas of Madhes, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces. There is also a chance of storms in a few plain areas of Lumbini and Sudurapschim provinces. Now, light to moderate rainfall is taking place in some places of Koshi, Madhes and Lumbini Provinces due to minor to complete changes in weather across the country. There is a likelihood of light to moderate rain in some areas in the night due to partial to general changes across the country. The Division said that there is a possibility of heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning in some places of Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces.