Doctors on strike nationwide

The Nepal Medical Association has decided to close down all medical services except the emergency in all government, public and private hospitals across the nation tomorrow.The association had called a Valley-wide closure of medical services today to protest the threats to doctors and a nursing home by the relatives of ... ...patient who died in the course The association closed down all the hospitals in the Valley demanding written commitment from the government for the security of health professionals and institutions, immediate formulation of Health Professionals’ Protection Act, and lawful action against the guilty in the Everest Nursing Home incident.Earlier, talks between NMA and the Ministry of Health and Population ended inconclusively.The secretary-level meeting between the association and the ministry failed after the ministry refused to make any written commitment.Relatives of Narayan Bahadur Shah, who died while undergoing treatment in Bir Hospital on Saturday following his treatment in Everest Nursing Home, have been staging protests against the nursing home and the doctor who treated him, accusing them of negligence in treatment that resulted in the patient’s death. The nursing home has been closed since Sunday, citing threats to the hospital and medical professionals from the relatives of the deceased patient.With increasing cases of vandalism in hospitals and manhandling of health professionals, the NMA has been demanding formulation and implementation of Health Professionals’ Protection Act for the last few years. The Act has already been formulated. Despite cabinet endorsement a few months ago, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is sitting on it.Association president Dr Chop Lal Bhusal said they would continue protests until the government guarantees, in writing, to meet their demands.He said the protest was also to ensure that the consumers get rightful treatment in health institutions.Meanwhile, issuing a press release today, the ministry urged the association to behave responsibly and not to shut the hospitals. “While exercising one’s rights, no one should violate others’ rights,” the ministry said.Referring to the case of Everest Nursing Home, the release urged the agitating relatives of the patient to take lawful approach.

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