After a three-point agreement reached on Tuesday evening, doctors have suspended their strike, which began in protest against recent consumer court rulings perceived to interfere with the Nepal Medical Council’s authority.
Doctors across Nepal, led by the Nepal Medical Association (NMA), suspended their strike following a three-point agreement reached with the government on Tuesday evening. The strike, which began on Monday and involved halting all services except emergency care, was launched in response to recent consumer court rulings seen as an intrusion into the jurisdiction of the Nepal Medical Council.
The dispute was addressed during talks held at the Ministry of Health involving Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Damodar Bhandari, Health Minister Pradeep Paudel, Law Minister Ajay Chaurasia, and officials from the Nepal Medical Association.
The agreement includes the following decisions:
- A task force will be formed, as detailed in the annex, to present a report with suggestions within seven days. The task force will review the existing legal and policy framework to properly address the demands of the Nepal Medical Association and other concerned stakeholders, including necessary amendments.
- The report submitted by the task force will be reviewed by the three ministers, the Nepal Medical Association, and other stakeholders in the negotiation team and implemented accordingly. For amendments to the “Consumer Protection Act, 2075” and other legal and policy frameworks, the concerned ministries will seek theoretical approval from the Council of Ministers within 11 days and fast-track the legislative amendment process.
- The Nepal Medical Association and other concerned organizations will suspend all forms of protest starting today and resume regular medical services.
The association had demanded amendments to both the Consumer Protection Act and the Criminal Code. Recently, consumer courts have ordered doctors and hospitals to pay large compensation for alleged medical negligence, including orders for Om Hospital to pay Rs. 50.7 lakh, Himal Hospital and associated doctors Rs. 1.45 crore, and Grandi City Hospital and doctors Rs. 57 lakh. These rulings had angered the medical community.
The association protested these decisions, stating that they interfered with the Nepal Medical Council’s authority. Following the agreement, it is expected that legal reviews will restore the balance of respect, protection, and accountability in the medical profession.
This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com
Translated with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
