KATHMANDU: Bir Hospital, the oldest health facility in the country, returned to normalcy today following an agreement between the agitating doctors and Nepal Academy of Medical Sciences.

Three hundred post-graduate students and interns affiliated with Residents' Association of NAMS (RAN) were on strike for the last six days putting forth their nine-point demand.

Hospital administration agreed to hike the doctors' monthly pay to Rs 14,000 from Rs 12,000, double the Rs 250 night stipend, ensure regular supply of safe drinking water, maintain cleanliness at the hospital premises, provide free treatment for the doctors, keep the library open till 11 pm and to keep medical equipment up to date.

Dr Dhruba Gaire, president of RAN, said they had decided to resume their service following the pact. "NAMS Bir Hospital is yet to address their major demand of providing residential facility to the post-graduate students and interns," he added.

Dr Shree Krishna Giri, the hospital rector, however, said the demands had been addressed to the maximum possible extent. "It's a tradition that the hospital appoints MS and MD students as resident doctors on a contract basis to work round-the-clock under the guidance of senior doctors," he clarified.