“We have revised the form of our protest and decided to resume emergency services from today (Thursday). We will hold discussions with the ministry for two days and will arrive at an agreement within a week,” Dr Phuba Raj Adhikari, secretary of the committee, said. The emergency ward of the hospital was providing just basic health care through medical officers after registrars and consultants joined the strike of residents from Monday.
Dr Adhikari said the committee took the decision after it found the ministry positive about their demands during their meeting on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry began legal process to dismiss National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) management late on Thursday. “We didn´t get clarification from the management within the 24-hour deadline (that expired in the afternoon). So, we have written to the Prime Minister demanding action against the management,” Health Minister Umakanta Chaudhary said.
Chaudhary said the prime minister, who is the NAMS Chancelor, has to form a probe committee as per the rules once he receives the letter signed by 1/4th of the 20-member NAMS Senate.
However, NAMS VC Dr CP Maskey claimed that the management has already submitted explanation as sought by the ministry. “We will leave if we have to but will never resign,” Dr Maskey said. Dr Maskey refused to reveal the content of the clarification letter when asked about it.
He acknowledged that the management met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal earlier on the day to put its side of the story. “He asked us to go ahead in agreement,” Dr Maskey quoted Nepal as saying.
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