Kathmandu, December 23 

Health services at Imadol-based KIST Medical College in Lalitpur remain halted for the past nine days due to the protest launched by its employees. Hospital employees have been staging protests since December 14 demanding salary hike.

“We were compelled to launch protest as the hospital administration turned a deaf ear to our demand for salary hike,” said Yam Bahadur Shrestha, president of Employee Union at the hospital.

Due to the protest, MBBS students have also been barred from taking examinations. Institute of Medicine has postponed the practical examination of MBBS third year until further notice.

“We could not appear in the practical test due to the protest,” said Arun Upreti, an MBBS graduate undergoing internship at the medical college. Classes have also been halted at the medical college, which  currently has a total of 600 students pursuing MBBS and BDS courses.

Akshaya Prasad Gautam, senior administrator at the hospital, said the hospital was not in a position to hike salary of its employees.

“Institute of Medicine has reduced seats from 135 to 90 and total fees for MBBS and BDS course can now be paid in instalments. This has hit us financially,” said Gautam.

“We reduced the seats allocated to the hospital as it lacked necessary infrastructures. However, IoM will take steps to conduct the postponed exams. Students shouldn’t be victimised on any pretext,” said IoM Dean Prof Dr Jagdish Prasad Agrawal.