Greetings to all,
Since its inception, the Medico-Legal Society of Nepal (MeLeSoN) has played a pivotal role in advancing medico-legal work across the nation. The Society has been instrumental in promoting national uniformity in medico-legal practices and significantly contributing to the capacity building of its members.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the efforts made by the previous executive committee. Each contribution towards fostering unity and enhancing our fraternity’s development is truly commendable. Among the most noteworthy achievements are the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines, and training manuals for medico-legal procedures, which have laid a solid foundation for consistency in forensic practices across Nepal.
The Government of Nepal has taken a commendable step by allowing approved hospitals, including non-governmental ones, to provide medico-legal services such as autopsies under the Medico-Legal Service Operation Directives 2075 BS (2019 AD). This is a significant and welcome move, with several medical colleges already offering these services. However, it has become clear that all medical colleges involved in forensic medicine education should work towards building the necessary infrastructure and capacity to handle forensic casework. MeLeSoN must actively advocate for this improvement.
We must continue to standardize medico-legal practices and work towards enhancing the capacity of forensic professionals in Nepal. The current executive committee is committed to these goals and has outlined the following initiatives:
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- Collaborating with the Forensic Science Laboratory to develop SOPs for forensic specimen collection, transportation, reporting, and the application of results in forensic interpretation.
- Organizing training programs on Disaster Victim Identification, autopsy procedures, and clinical forensic examination and reporting.
- Hosting a National Conference in collaboration with international organizations.
- Offering online Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses every two months, with the possibility of increasing the frequency based on demand.
- Conducting postgraduate resident seminars regularly.
- Collaborating with medical colleges and universities to organize additional workshops and training sessions.
- Designing refresher courses for interns and advocating for their implementation.
- Promoting the standardization and uniformity of forensic medicine/odontology curricula to meet national needs across universities.
- Partnering with the Medical Education Commission to standardize forensic medicine and toxicology education, and to establish clear criteria for faculty positions within universities.
- Working with the Nepal Medical Council to involve forensic practitioners in capacity-building programs and decision-making processes.
- Conducting research proposal training for MeLeSoN members and facilitating research initiatives.
- Collaborating with MeLeSoN members to undertake research on topics of national importance.
- Engaging with professional societies, such as the Nepal Medical Association and other medical specialty societies.
- Advocating with the Ministry of Health to increase allowances for medico-legal work, including autopsies.
I request all MeLeSoN members to actively engage with the executive committee as we work towards the common goal of advancing our fraternity and standardizing forensic practices across Nepal. Together, we can make a meaningful difference.
Thank you.
Dr. Nuwadatta Subedi
President, Medico-Legal Society of Nepal (MeLeSoN)