- शनिबार, ८ वैशाख, २०८१
Kathmandu, 21 Jan – The Ministry of Health and Population says it has initiated discussions from a new perspective to address the difficulties seen in the health services.
A meeting of the chiefs of different departments and divisions under the Ministry and the departmental chiefs of hospitals within the Kathmandu Valley is currently underway in that connection.
The health services remain hampered since Sunday after doctors at hospitals started protest programmes expressing solidarity to Prof Dr Govinda KC, Chief of the Orthopedics Department at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), who is on a hunger strike putting forth a seven-point charter of demands since January 11.
The meeting is taking place at the Ministry of Health in a bid to end this situation since the disruption of hospital services has caused inconvenience to the service seekers. People going to hospitals and the patients already admitted there are at the receiving end due to the doctors’ strike at the call of the Nepal Medical Association.
It has been a week since the TUTH stopped admitting patients and closed the OPD services. Other big hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley like the Bir Hospital, Patan Hospital and the Paropakar Maternity Hospital too are not providing all services as before. They are continuing only the emergency and in-patient services.
Health is enshrined as the fundamental right in the constitution. Strikes and closure of health services in protest is prohibited as health services come under essential services.
As per the information given out by a source in the ministry, the meeting is holding discussions regarding the ways of making the health services smooth and how to address Dr KC’s demands. “We will come up with some recommendations regarding reaching a conclusion on the ways of resolving the issue,” the source said.
Although the Supreme Court on Monday issued an order requiring the resumption of the health services within an hour, the health services remain disrupted.
Nepal Medical Association (NMA) president Anjani Kumar Jha has said that the strike by doctors would not be stopped until Dr KC’s demands were addressed.
On the other hand, doctors involved in the treatment of Dr KC have said that his health condition is becoming critical. “Only oxygen and intravenous liquid being given to him is keeping him alive,” Prof Dr Subas Acharya, who is involved in Dr KC’s treatment, said.
Doctors at government and private hospitals held protest demonstrations in front of the hospitals today also calling for saving the life of Dr KC.
