KATHMANDU, April 5: Taking a strong exception to the civil service adjustment act, the doctors serving in government-run health institutions have started a fresh round of protests from today.

As part of their protests, the government doctors are boycotting care except for emergency cases in the state-run health institutions from Friday. The government doctors are currently gathering at Bir Hospital in the capital to further discuss about their protests.

The agitating doctors have demanded to correct a provision of the civil service adjustment act that puts them under the jurisdiction of the local bodies. The doctors want to be 'placed under the federal government'.

The doctors blame the Ministry of Health for not addressing their genuine demands thereby forcing them to take to the street.

Dr Dipendra Pandey, chairman of the Government Doctors Association of Nepal (GODAN), told Republica Online that the recently promulgated civil service adjustment act will hamper the doctors' professional growth since they are not allowed under the federal government.

"There should be equal mobilization of the government doctors in all provinces of the country. Now, the number of doctors working in province 2 is much higher than the doctors working in Karnali Province. This should be ended," he said.

In a press release, the GODAN stated the government has not honored the agreements reached with the government doctors in the past.

"We are aware that thousands of patients are affected due to our protests. We had given enough time to the government to address our demands. But the government turned deaf tears for the past few months. Therefore, we are forced to resume our protests since the government failed to implement the agreements," Pandey said.

It is notable here to mention that the GODAN had withdrawn all its protests following an assurance from the government to address their demands, on February 15.

“We had postponed our second round of protests after the assurance of the Prime Minister KP Oli to address our demands. However, PM Oli didn't fulfill his commitment. Unless our demands are met, we will continue halting services at government hospitals,” Dr Pandey, warned adding “We will also submit mass resignation this time if our demands are not addressed.”

According to GODAN, there are 1,400 doctors working in the government health facilities across the country. A record of Nepal Medical Council (NMC) shows that more than 21,000 doctors are registered with the NMC.

 
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