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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 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 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.

Bhupal Rai is a Nepali poet, lyricist, and the chancellor of the Nepal Academy. He began his journey in writing more than two decades ago. Some of his notable works are ‘Yaari’, ‘Dajai! Kavita Gaumai Chha’, ‘Simanta Soundarya’, ‘Bhumigat Prashna Haru’, ‘Pahilo Haraf Sirbandi’ and ‘Aago le Janmotsav Manaudaina’. Anushka Nepal from ApEx talked to Rai about his experience as a writer. You have been a writer for a long time. When did it all start? If I think about when I actually started writing, it would be during my school days. I was probably in the eighth or ninth grade. But I began pursuing writing professionally once I came to Kathmandu from Bhojpur, my hometown, after passing grade 10. Back then, coming from a village to Kathmandu was a big deal. It was a city with many opportunities. I was in Kathmandu to continue my studies, but at the same time, I wrote a lot. I mostly wrote poems. It was around 1997 that I published my poem in the news. It was the first work of mine that got published. The title was ‘Aama ko Samjhana’, and it was published in ‘Chhahara Daimashik’, a newspaper that came out every two months. That’s how it all started. What are your works mostly based on?  I believe I had two phases during my writing journey. The first one was where I expressed my feelings, experiences, and thoughts through my writing. Most of my work was based on myself and no one else. And that was how I wrote for almost 11 years. Writing, for me, became more like my own method of advocacy. I started writing about societal responsibilities, political, and caste discriminations, and other issues I often saw around me. I have been continuing with that ever since. How would you describe your writing style? I’m mostly into writing poems and lyrics. I think I’m able to be more expressive with poems and lyrics in comparison to other forms of writing. There is no particular way of writing poems. But it must have a particular opinion of a writer expressed in an imaginary way. And that’s what I do. Now and then, I also write essays. I was also a columnist for Kantipur. So I suppose I’m inclined to areas where I find myself the most expressive. Can you run us through your writing process?  I can never get anything done when I just sit down and prepare myself to write something. It needs to come naturally. That usually happens when I’m moved by particular incidents, people, or anything that makes me want to put down my thoughts on writing. When that happens, I already have a certain outline in my head and even words that I will be using in my work. But that doesn’t mean I get it done at once. I edit my work a lot. I rewrite it many times before I feel satisfied with what I’ve written. But I thoroughly enjoy it. What are you currently working on? Currently, I’m the chancellor of the Nepal Academy and because of that I haven’t been able to invest a lot of time in writing. It has been around four months since I last wrote. I will definitely publish more work but that has slowed down a bit due to my other responsibilities. So I’m not working on anything as of now. But I’m thinking of publishing a compilation of the essays that I have written for Kantipur Koseli. Are there any books/authors that have had an influence on your writing style? I have been influenced by the writings I have read since my school days. But I don’t think that has influenced the way I write. I believe no matter how much one reads, their work should always be unique. So I try my best not to bring the writing styles of other authors in my own work. But the books I have read have influenced me on many other levels. They have been huge inspirations. Rai’s favorite book  Aama by Maxim Gorky ‘Aama’ is a Nepali translation of a book called ‘Mother’ by Maxim Gorky, written in 1906 about revolutionary factory workers. It was first published, in English, in Appleton’s Magazine in 1906, then in Russian in 1907.