"We have called off our protest programs," said Dr Bikash Gauchan, president of Junior Resident Welfare Society (JRWS), a union of junior resident doctors at BPKIHS. "We have unlocked the offices of BPKIHS authorities and have joined work from today."[break]
For the last one week, JRWS had padlocked the offices of BPKIHS Vice Chancellor Dr BP. Das, Rector Dr Bikram Shrestha, Hospital Director Dr Arbinda Sinha and Registrar Nanda Kumar Thapa. Junior resident doctors had also refused to work since the JRWS launched agitation, demanding that the BPKIHS scrape a new provision that makes it mandatory for them to get through interviews before qualifying for M.D. and M.S studies under Faculty Development Program (F.D.P.).
After JRWS launched agitation, BPKIHS had decided to scrap FDP quotas, which furthered irked junior resident doctors; and they stopped working even in the emergency ward of the hospital.
On Wednesday, finally after a series of failed talks, JRWS managed to strike a 19-point agreement with BPKIHS. The agreement cancels the interview criteria for selection of candidates from among junior resident doctors for FDP quotas. "As in the past, we will now just have to pass written exams," said Dr Gauchan.
BPKIHS had introduced the interview criteria, saying the mentality and attitude of junior resident doctors selected for MD and MS studies under the FDP quotas need to be looked into as they have the potential to reach the upper echelon of the institute. However, JRWS opposed the new provision, saying it could encourage nepotism.
Dr Bikram Shrestha, Rector of BPKIHS, said that they were positive about all the demands except for one raised by JRWS. "Among other things, they wanted official recognition of their union, which we found a bit problematic," said Dr Shrestha. "Later, we found a mid-way solution."
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