KATHMANDU: An agreement to allow Maldivian medical students to study in Nepal has reached its final stage.

During a meeting between Nepal’s Minister for Health and Population, Pradeep Poudel, and Maldives’ State Minister for Health, Ahmed Qasim, held at the UN Conference Center in Bangkok, both sides exchanged updates on the positive progress from Nepal regarding the draft proposal submitted by the Maldives.

In the meeting, Minister Poudel informed the Maldivian minister that the draft is in its final phase and internal preparations are underway to sign the agreement soon.

He stated that Nepal is ready to welcome Maldivian students not only for MD and MS programs but also for MBBS, ensuring that it would not affect opportunities for Nepali students. A separate quota system is being considered for Maldivian students, and necessary consultations are ongoing with a conclusion expected soon.

Minister Poudel also highlighted the growing number of Nepali workers in the Maldives and their difficulty in sending money back home. In response, the Maldivian state minister assured that he would discuss the issue with the Ministry of Finance to find a solution.

Nepal is currently preparing policy-level reforms to attract Maldivian medical students. Talks on this issue had taken place three months ago in Indonesia between the two health ministers, followed by further discussions in Geneva.

Minister Poudel had also formed a task force to provide recommendations on medical education for foreign students in Nepal.

Since then, Nepal’s Ministry of Health has revised the draft received from the Maldives and is preparing to finalize the agreement, according to Minister Poudel’s secretariat.