NMA agrees to get back to work with six-point agreement with government

The Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has decided to put off its protest programmes for the time being, following a six-point agreement with the government.

The NMA had taken to the street by suspending the OPD services across the country today, in protest against the physical assault on a doctor on Friday.

According to NMA former chair Dr Mukti Raj Shrestha who was also in the talks team, the two sides reached a six-point agreement and with this, medical professionals are to get back to work.

The meeting wished for quick recovery of the doctor injured in an incident took place in front of the National Trauma Centre and the Bir Hospital at 4:15 of February 10 in course of the management of traffic for the VVIPs.

Senior orthopedic surgeon for the National Trauma Centre, Dr Janith Singh, was allegedly assaulted by a security person during President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s escort back to Sheetal Niwas after addressing a joint session of the Federal Parliament.

According to the agreement, there is a need to effectively implement the provision relating to the security of health workers and health institutions in line with the Security of Health Workers and Health Organisations Act, 2066 (Revised), and further make security of health workers and health institutions effective.

The agreement was signed between Chairperson of the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) Dr Lochan Karki and Secretary of the Office of Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, Dr Ganesh Prasad Pandey.

Others present on the occasion were Jitendra Basnet, representative of the Home Ministry, Dr Rudra Marasini, representative of the Ministry of Health and Population, former NMA Chairperson Dr Mukti Ram Shrestha, NMA General Secretary Dr Badri Rijal, Secretary of the Health Ministry Dr Roshan Pokharel, Additional Inspector General of Police Dibesh Lohani, Joint Secretary of the Office of Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers Narayan Prasad Bhatta, Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry Krishna Paudel, Chief District Office, Kathmandu Ghana Shyam Upadhyay, Senior Superintendent of Police Dan Bahadur Karki, and Section Officer of the Office of Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers Sagar Adhikari.