KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 29

Minister for Health and Population, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has appealed to protesting doctors to end their agitation, assuring the government's commitment to taking action against those responsible for mistreating doctors and health workers.

During a meeting of the Education, Health, and Information Technology Committee under the House of Representatives today, the minister urged the agitating doctors to consider this request.

He also informed the committee that investigations into incidents of maltreatment against doctors in four hospitals are currently underway, and the government is dedicated to ensuring the security of doctors.

'The government is deeply committed to finding a long-term solution to this issue. The Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated investigations into four recent cases of mistreatment of doctors. I implore the protesting doctors to withdraw their protest and return to work,' he stated.

Minister Basnet also mentioned that the process of adding positions for health workers is in progress to address many of the problems in the healthcare sector. He informed the committee, 'The lack of allocated positions for health workers is a primary factor contributing to most of the issues in the healthcare sector. The process of increasing these positions is currently underway, and the Prime Minister is supportive of this initiative.'

Similarly, during the meeting, Home Secretary Dinesh Bhatta urged the protesting doctors to end their protest and resume their work. He emphasized that the security administration is actively working to take action against those involved in mistreating doctors. He appealed to the doctors to consider the challenges faced by the general public due to the ongoing protest.

In response, the protesting doctors stated that they were compelled to take to the streets due to concerns about their safety. They demanded swift action against those responsible for the incident at Manipal Teaching Hospital.

Committee President Bhanu Bhakta Joshi assured that a field investigation into the mistreatment of medical professionals would be conducted as part of seeking a long-term solution to the issue.