Kathmandu, February 10

Police today arrested 25 doctors, who were staging a sit-in on the premises of the Ministry of Health and Population demanding implementation of the deal between the ministry and Government Doctors’ Association of Nepal.

According to GDAN President Diprendra Pandey, police baton-charged the doctors who were staging a peaceful protest. He said three doctors were injured in a scuffle with police. “We began out sit-in from 10:00am, but at around 1:00pm the police suddenly came and started baton-charging the protesters.” The police released the arrested doctors in the evening.”

Dr Pandey accused the government of trying to conclude the employee adjustment process without addressing their concerns. Earlier, the ministry had agreed to include a provision whereby medical officers deployed to the provinces would be allowed to compete for the post of secretary. They had also demanded that the health officers be deployed to the provinces by the federal government.

The government had also agreed to bring an umbrella act to manage health academies and hospitals run under them. “The ministry is trying to cheat us. So we were compelled to stage protest,” shared Dr Pandey.

Meanwhile, issuing a press statement, Nepal Medical Association has requested the government to adjust the medical through central government.