Minister Shukla made the hint after he, Minister for Information and Communications Shankar Pokharel and Minister for Culture, Federalism, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs Minendra Rijal met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Tuesday to discuss the issue. [break]
“We held discussions with the prime minister today and will hold a meeting with the agitating doctors tomorrow (Wednesday). I am highly optimistic that the hospital will open,” Shukla said.
Earlier, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu directed TUTH to resume its services. Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kathmandu Laxmi Prasad Dhakal called TUTH Director Dr Keshav Prasad Singh to his office Tuesday evening to hand over a letter to that effect.
“We have asked the director to resume services as per the Essential Services Operation Act 1957 and asked what kind of help and security arrangements they required to operate the hospital,” CDO Dhakal said concerning the letter.
“We don´t have doctors to run the hospital but what we can do is arrest the agitating doctors,” Dhakal elaborated when asked what he would do if services were not resumed.
Meanwhile, Tribhuvan University (TU) has also threatened to take action against the agitating doctors if they do not return to work immediately. Issuing a press statement, TU said it had already canceled the entrance exams as demanded by the agitators.
“We have already done what we could do according to the rules and will take appropriate action against TUTH staffers including doctors, teachers and others on TU payroll if they do not return to duty,” Vice-Chancellor of TU Professor Madhav Sharma said.
TUTH Director Dr Singh acknowledged receiving the two documents and said he would inform the concerned parties Wednesday. “I will call all the agitating parties tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and inform them about the two letters,” he said.
The agitating students said they would continue their strike until their demands for removal of officials of the Office of the Dean at the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and improvement of examination procedures are met, irrespective of possible action by the CDO and TU. President of Nepal University Teachers´ Association Maharajgunj Medical Campus Chapter Dr Karbir Nath Yogi also brushed off any possible action.
“The strike will spread across the country if there is police intervention and TU has issued a threat of action that it cannot take,” Dr Yogi claimed. Services at the hospital have been affected since March 15 after it decided to stop admitting patients. Emergency services have also been halted since last Tuesday.
premdhakal@myrepublica.com
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