Save kidneys, protect your heart

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a grave public health concern, affecting a large section of the worldwide population. Good management of CKDs can slow the progression of renal dysfunction, prevent metabolic complications and reduce cardiovascular ailments. Physician’s awareness of such disease is critical for the implementation of evidence-based therapies and patient awareness is a major determinant of the adherence to those therapies.
In Nepal, individual awareness of CKD and its risk factors remains low. CKD awareness may be particularly important among persons who exhibit
clinical markers, possibly resulting from their renal dysfunction, as they would benefit from a lifestyle change and medical interventions.
The goal of a medical screening programme is to recognise a disease in its preclinical phase so that interventions can be done in earlier stages, leading to better outcomes. Screening programmes can also promote public awareness and education, encourage physician adherence to clinical practice guidelines and serve as medical outreach to underserved populations. Such programmes however, have risks and costs along with benefits. To establish how useful a screening programme is, health care providers need to answer three important questions: “Does early treatment improve prognosis?”; “How valid and reproducible is the screening test?” and “What is the yield of the screening service?”
However, a screening test is not intended to be diagnostic. Persons with positive or suspicious findings must be referred to specialists for diagnosis and necessary treatment.
Widespread screening programmes have led to a decline in the incidence of syphilis and a decrease in mortality as a result of uterine cancer. An evidence-based treatment regimen for patients with recognised CKD already exists and serves as a prerequisite for CKD screening programmes. Screening for CKD occurs in many contexts, including during routine care, within high-risk populations and in the general population. Population-based screenings must ensure follow-up and successful referral of test-positive individuals for appropriate diagnosis, treatment and counselling. Additionally, because screening in these different contexts entails different risks and benefits, informed patient choice is essential to a successful screening programme.

Ban welcomes appointment of interim electoral council in Nepal

Ban Ki-moon on Friday welcomed the appointment of an interim electoral council in Nepal, which he said could end the political stalemate that has stalled implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended a civil war in 2007.
“He urges all actors to create a conducive environment for the next elections and to maintain the momentum to implement the outstanding commitments of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” according to a statement released by Ban’s spokesperson.
The Asian nation’s political leaders had reportedly failed to nominate since late 2012 a prime ministerial candidate who could lead a new government that would be responsible for holding Constituent Assembly elections.
The country has been plagued by political disputes since a civil war between Government forces and Maoists formally ended in 2007 and the monarchy was abolished.
There have been important achievements in the peace process to date, including the completion of the discharge and integration process of the ex-Maoist army, the successful and largely peaceful elections in 2008, the removal of all minefields, and a smooth transition to a Republic.

Editor's Pick 3-man Cabinet in, polls top priority

Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn in Chairman of the Interim Election Government at the President’s Office in Sheetal Niwas on Thursday. President Ram Baran Yadav administrated the oath of office to Regmi in the presence of top leaders of the major political parties, diplomats and senior government and security officials. If his post as head of the executive is to be considered prime minister, Chairman Regmi will be Nepal’s 36th PM.
Regmi later administered the oath of office to Madhav Prasad Ghimire as Home and Foreign Affairs Minister and Hari Prasad Neupane as Minister for Law and Justice and Minister for Labour and Transport Management. Ghimire is a former chief secretary, while Neupane served as Vice-chairman of the Law Reform Commission. While Regmi and Ghimire hail from Palpa district, Neupane comes from Gulmi.
After the oath, Regmi reached Singha Durbar and assumed office. He directed government secretaries to focus on elections as per the schedule and appealed to dissenting political parties to stop their agitation. According to one secretary, Chief Secretary Leela Mani Poudel advised Regmi to make appointments to the Election Commission at the earliest to bring the nation on the election campaign. “If we cannot fill positions in the EC within 15 days, the situation will not be favourable to timely elections,” Poudel reportedly said.

Hectic lobbying for Cabinet posts

As a three-member Cabinet led by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn in on Thursday, there was hectic lobbying and widespread speculations over the possible line-up of members in the interim election government.
Informed sources said Regmi was given a free hand to choose former chief secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire as the home and foreign affairs minister and former law secretary Hari Prasad Neupane as the law, labour and employment minister.
A political source claimed that there will be unofficial recommendations from the major parties for the remaining eight Cabinet members.
Retired bureaucrats are learnt to have reached out to the leadership of the major parties to secure berths in the Cabinet . Similarly, there are voices that the Cabinet , which so far consists of three male Brahmins, should be more inclusive with the representation of women and marginalised groups. “We expect that the chairman of the government will constitute an inclusive Cabinet ,” said Nepal Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato.
Former finance secretary Bidhyadhar Malik and former industry secretary Umakanta Jha are key contenders from the Madhesi community, while former Secretary at the PM’s Office Brinda Hada may represent women in the Cabinet . Former Finance Secretary Rameshwor Khanal, who served as economic advisor to former PM Baburam Bhattarai, was pitched as a contender for finance minister.
Sources claimed that Malik, who is now an advisor to President Ram Baran Yadav, has greater chances for the Finance Ministry. According to political and bureaucratic sources, some contenders for the post are former home secretaries Umesh Mainali and Govinda Kusum, former Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority secretary Bhagawati Kafle and former energy secretary Shankar Koirala. Mainali is considered close to the Nepali Congress, while Kusum, who is also affiliated to the Chaudhary Group, is close to CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel.
Former local development secretary Ram Kumar Shrestha, former physical development and works secretary Purna Prasad Kadariya are also being discussed as tentative candidates from the UCPN (Maoist). Former general secretary of the Parliament Secretariat Surya Kiran Gurung is also speculated to figure in the list.
Despite pressure to include retired security chiefs in the Cabinet , parties signed an agreement to only include retired special class officers from the civil service to avoid maneuvering and foul play, according to one leader. Former Armed Police Chief Sanat Kumar Basnet had reached out to leaders to secure a post, while the name of the retired Nepal Police Chief, Rabindra Pratap Shah, had also figured in discussions.
A senior government source said that the date for the second round of oath taking has yet to be set. "It is likely that all the remaining eight members will be sworn in together," said the official.

22 parties to announce further protest No banda today

22 political parties , including the CPN-Maoist and some fringe parties, are due to announce further protest programme against the formation of an election government led by sitting Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi .
According to the CPN-Maoist , the meeting to be held at party's central office in Buddhanagar this afternoon will finalise the protest programme.
The dissenting parties have been condemning the decision to form such a government, saying that it had breached the Interim Constitution 2007 and violated the fundamental values of democracy. They have termed the appointment of the chief justice as the election government chairman “dictatorship imposed by major forces under the guidance of foreign forces”.
Meanwhile, the party has decided not to call banda today. It has said that the protest programme to be announced later on today will not affect general public.

Apa selected for honorary doctorate

The US-based University of Utah has selected Nepali mountaineer Apa Sherpa , who has scaled Mt. Everest a record 21 times, to receive honorary doctorate degree, Deseret News reported on its website.
Apa Sherpa will receive a doctorate of humane letters. Apa climbed the Everest a world record 21 times as of May 2011.
Apa was born in Nepal and since 2006 has been residing in Utah with his wife, Yangjin, and their three children.
He created the Apa Sherpa Foundation, which is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the children of his homeland to help strengthen its future.
He climbed the mountain twenty-one times as of May 2011.
Apa is among three people including Andrea Brantzeg Thomas and Thomas D. Rees to receive the honorary doctorate.

300 workers to land in Israel via govt channel

The government has started sending 300 workers as caregivers to Israel through government-to-government channel.
On the recommendation of Labour Secretary Suresh Man Shrestha, a Cabinet meeting on Monday had appointed director general of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) as government’s service officer to oversee the overall recruitment process.
The department is preparing to set up a separate section and develop a mechanism for free and fair recruitment.
Israel, which had stopped recruiting Nepali caregivers citing increasing cases of fraud, is reopening its labour market for Nepali workers after Nepal agreed to send job-seekers through state-to-state channel.
Israel had halted accepting Nepali workers after the recruiting agents based in Nepal and Israel reportedly charged exorbitant fees. Workers used to pay as high as Rs 1 million to go to the Middle East.
According to government officials, Israel is ready to accept over 1,000 Nepali caregivers a year if the new state-to-state mechanism works miracles.
Although Nepal has been sending workers to South Korea through state-to-state mechanism, this is the first time the same process is going to be replicated in Israel’s case.
Israel is considered to be one of the most sought-after labour destination for Nepali women due to worker-friendly laws, good wages and work security.