SATV 9 July, Kathmandu: Patients in desperate need of care are being turned away, left in pain and uncertainty because of the nationwide protest called by Nepal Medical Association.
The agitating doctors have shut down medical services, except for emergency care at government and private hospitals.
Purushottam Subedi, 40, of Nagarjun, spent two agonizing days battling chest pain, heart palpitation and high blood pressure only to be turned away from every hospital he visited. From early Monday, he searched desperately for medical help and waited over two hours at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, only to hear the same chilling words: “No doctors available in the Outpatients Department (OPD).”
“I wasn’t critical enough for the emergency room, but too sick to be ignored,” Subedi said. “I went from hospital to hospital, begging for help. There was no one.”
After two days of relentless pain and anxiety, Subedi finally found a private clinic of a cardiologist, but even there he had to wait four hours, before he was diagnosed with a heart blockage. More tests are still needed, he informed.
“The past two days were nothing short of a nightmare,” he said. “I was living in fear that my heart would give out, and no one was there to help.”
To make matters worse, Subedi’s wife, Urmila, also fell ill with severe headaches and vomiting. Like him, she too was unable to find treatment.
Their ordeal paints a stark picture of the healthcare system paralysed by the current protest.
Pramila Gautam, 35, traveled over 250 kilometers all the way from Sarlahi to Kathmandu for a worsening ovarian cyst treatment. “The pain was unbearable, and medicines were no longer working,” she said.
But upon reaching Bir Hospital, her hopes were dashed, the OPD was shut due to the ongoing doctors’ protest. “I waited all morning, but no one would see me. I had no choice but to return home untreated.”
Mandira Giri, 42, of Balkot, suffering from severe back pain caused by kidney stones, was told to return for a follow-up at Kathmandu Model Hospital. “I reached before 10 am, but was turned away without even seeing a doctor,” she said tearfully.
The current protest has been sparked by recent verdicts from the Consumer Court, which imposed hefty fines on doctors found guilty of gross negligence leading to severe complications and even patient deaths.
As a part of their ongoing agitation, doctors staged demonstration on Tuesday at Maitighar Mandala. Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has intensified its protest from Monday by halting all non-emergency medical services across the country, arguing that the recent rulings by the Consumer Court have interfered with the jurisdiction of the Nepal Medical Council, demoralised doctors, and created an unsafe working environment.
All the major hospitals, including Bir, Kanti, Shukraraj, Bhaktapur, Paropakar Maternity, and Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital and private hospitals suspended all services supporting NMA’s protest.
The NMA had called for a complete shutdown across the country on Monday, and continued the strike on Tuesday, causing significant hardship for patients.
Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, confirmed that ministerial-level discussions were ongoing with protesting doctors.
He also said that the Ministry is seriously concerned about the impact on hospital services. Meanwhile, protesting doctors are preparing to return their medical licenses to the Nepal Medical Council in defiance.
NMA President Dr. Anil Bikram Karki said that doctors cannot work under the current circumstances. He said that while doctors respect the judiciary, the Consumer Rights Forum should refrain from unnecessary contempt warnings.
“We are sensitive to public health,” he said, adding, “Only non-emergency services have been halted. If the government continues to ignore us, the protest will persist.”
Dr. Karki also warned against issuing threats such as a three-year jail sentence to medical professionals. Doctors launched the protest after the Consumer Court ruled in favour of patients, ordering Om Hospital in Chabahil to pay Rs. 5.7 million, Himal Hospital and its associated doctors to pay Rs. 14.5 million, and Grande City Hospital along with its involved doctors to pay Rs. 5.7 million in compensation for alleged medical negligence.
The protest escalated further after a contempt of court notice was issued against NMA General Secretary Dr. Sanjiv Tiwari concerning remarks made regarding the court's decision.
Meanwhile, a discussion among three ministers, Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, and Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari, took place regarding the demands raised by the doctors. However, they did not reach a conclusion on Tuesday.
NHRC urges immediate resumption of health services, citing violation of citizens’ rights
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed serious concern over the disruption of health services across the country following the doctors’ protest led by the Nepal Medical Association.
The NHRC emphasised that the ongoing halt of such critical services violates several legal provisions, including, Article 35 of the Constitution of Nepal, which guarantees the right to health, Article 44, which protects consumer rights, Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which affirms the right to the highest attainable standard of health, As well as other prevailing laws related to human life and health in Nepal.
The Commission warned that millions of lives could be put at risk if essential health services remain disrupted. It called on all medical professionals to uphold their professional integrity and responsibilities by continuing to provide healthcare services, especially given their critical nature.
