Doctors in protest

Doctors in protest

Kathmandu, Sept. 3: Doctors have resorted to protest from Sunday, which will go on for the next five days. The protest being held during their duty hours is a symbolic one demanding that Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) fulfill their13-point demand.

Their demands include security, enactment of Health Professional Protection Act to ensure the security of health professionals against physical attacks. The demands include timely promotion and transfer of health professionals.

The doctors will protest putting black armbands Sunday and Monday and it would go on till Friday if their demands are not addressed within this week, said general secretary at the MAN Dr. Kedar Narsingh KC. They said they would protest in front of the Singha Durbar on September 5 and 6.

The NMA has accused the government of being complacent and indifferent to their demands although they have already been submitted to the Ministry, the health minister and other officials.

President of the NAM Dr. Chop Lal Bhusal said that the services in hospitals would not be disrupted during the protests, but warned of "strong agitation" if the demands continue to fall on deaf ears.

Dr. Bhusal said that they sent a draft regarding the Act last year but it was not studied properly. As the Ministry has been transferring the doctors in the off season, which would affect public health. He added that people suffer from different communicable diseases during the summer and newly transferred doctors could not reach the hospital on time.

Dr. Bhusal said that the government would not need more budget to address their demands and the government officials are not working responsibly.

Dr. KC said that the government asked them for to sit for talks Tuesday afternoon.

Spokesperson at the MoHP, Arjun Bahadur Singh, said that the cabinet should address some of their demands like taking in new entrants from level nine and appointing secretaries from among the doctors. He said that it was a long process and required the changing of the health Act. "We are responsible for ensuring the security of our employees and doctors and we are asking the Home Ministry for security."

He said that the Ministry would try to address their demands at the earliest possible and would think about amending the Act.