Rupandehi, May 23:

Patients are facing difficulties as most of the doctors in Siddhartha Child and Women’s Hospital in Rupandehi district are on strike. The doctors are demanding the resignation of the medical superintendent of the hospital in Rupandehi district.

The doctors have called for a phased strike. They closed the Out Patient Department (OPD) from noon till 1 pm yesterday and from 9 am till 11 am today.

Medical superintendent Dr Binod Parajuli said: “The OPD remained open with the help of three doctors, including me.”

Demanding the resignation of Dr Parajuli, some doctors — Devesh Muni Bajracharya, Manoj Krishna Shrestha, Ajay Shreevastav, Akhileshwor Chaudhari, Hem Kumari Pradhan, Bhim Gopal Dhauvadel, Mamata Sherchan and Anuk Shrestha — are on strike for the past one week.

They have accused Dr Parajuli of working against the interests of the hospital. Expressing dissatisfaction at his activities, they said he has not implemented the decisions of the Internal Management Committee, while also flouting other rules.

Dr Parajuli lamented that the doctors had gone on strike at a time when the process of meeting their demands was underway.

Everyday, some 300 patients come to this hospital that was constructed by the Asian Medical Doctors’ Association (AMDA), Nepal, Butwal municipality and Butwal Chambers of Commerce and Industries.