Doctors end protest after shutting down health services across Nepal for two days

Doctors in Nepal have called off a nationwide strike that disrupted hospital services for two days, following a five-point agreement with the government. The Nepal Medical Association initiated the protest after an incident at Narayani Hospital in Birgunj, where relatives of a deceased patient vandalized property and assaulted doctors and health workers, including Dr. Pramod Ram.

The agreement stipulates that the Ministry of Home Affairs will take legal action against those involved in the attack and vandalism, in accordance with the Health Workers and Health Institutions Security Act, 2009. The Ministry of Health and Population will also propose amendments to relevant sections of the security act and the National Penal Code in the upcoming parliamentary session. Furthermore, committees will be formed within seven days to amend health-related issues in the Consumer Protection Act and within three days to review past agreements with the association.

Dr. Bishwa Raj Dawadi, general secretary of the association, stated that halting services was a response to the fear and insecurity faced by medical professionals. "How can we treat patients when our fellow doctors are assaulted physically while providing treatment and are abused verbally?" he asked, emphasizing the impossibility of providing care in such an environment. The strike had left hundreds of thousands of patients across the country without access to healthcare services, leading to an increase in demand for emergency care.

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We have agreed to call off all protest programmes and resume the service immediately. Halting services was not our choice. How can we treat patients when our fellow doctors are assaulted physically while providing treatment and are abused verbally? It is not possible to provide care in the environment of fear and insecurity.