Kathmandu, February 16

Government doctors have decided to halt all health services, except emergency, from tomorrow in a bid to put pressure on the Ministry of Health and Population to implement the agreement signed with them on January 14.

`The doctors have also threatened to resign en masse. Holding a press meet today, Government Doctors’ Association of Nepal said they would halt all health services, except emergency, throughout the country from tomorrow.

“The Ministry of Health and Population doesn’t seem serious about implementing the agreement signed with GODAN. Despite a series of sit-ins and protest programmes, the ministry does not seem concerned about implementing the agreement. So we have no choice other than to halt health services,” said GODAN President Dr Dipendra Pandey.

He said that due to lack of working environment for doctors in the country, many doctors have decided to resign from their posts.  The agreement between the government and GODAN stated that the MoHP would urge the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to make arrangements to ensure that doctors and officer level health workers appointed by Public Service Commission would be mobilised by the federal government.

“This is not the problem of only one individual, but of all doctors. If the recently passed Civil Servant Adjustment Bill is not amended, government doctors will not be able to work freely,” Dr Pandey added.

“At the meeting, we have decided to collect signatures of government doctors throughout the country and submit resignation letters en masse,” informed Pandey, adding, “We will start collecting signatures from tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Mahesh Chaurasiya, press coordinator of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population Upendra Yadav said doctors’ professional growth and other issues would be affected by the bill. “The ministry is working to address the demands of government doctors,” he added.

GODAN Executive Committee member Dr Mohan Bhaghat said they would visit the ministry to remind it of their remands.