NMA halts services to protest assault on doctors

Kathmandu, 17 Sept: Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has decided to shut down all the health facilities, medical colleges, private hospitals and clinics, except the emergency services, throughout the country on Sunday.

The NMA decision comes as an organized pressure to seek action against those involved in the physical assault on two doctors at Sancho Hospital in Hetauda on September 13.

Dr Bikas Thapa and Dr Prashant Bidari were beaten up on Wednesday while they were providing treatment to patients at HDU (high dependency unit) Ward in the Hospital.

The NMA’s call for a general strike today is a follow up to its demand soon after the incident; on the very day, it had issued 72 hours’ ultimatum for the arrest of the culprits.

‘A state of terror has been created in the entire health sector as the culprits are yet to be arrested and brought to book even four days after the incident’, the NMA statement has said.

The NMA has put forward seven demands that among others include to make arrangements for delivering health services in a fear-free environment and the provision of the Medical Security Force at health institutions across the country.