Bhaktapur, January 8

Two nurses named Trajina Jati and Sajana Deula have been staging sit-in at the emergency ward of Human Organ Transplant Centre, in Bhaktapur, since one week, demanding justice.

Both the nurses were admitted at the hospital on January 1. Earlier, Jati was suspended by the hospital administration for ‘disturbing’ the hospital environment. She is suffering from diabetes and fluctuation in blood pressure.

Deula, a volunteer nurse at the hospital, was admitted after she fainted. The nurse said she was fired from her job because she raised questions about the management.

“The health condition is normal. But they are not ready to leave,” said Dr Amrit KC. “We have given written permission for them to go home. But they have been occupying the beds.”

Dr Pukar Shrestha, executive director at HOTC said ‘the disturbance’ created by the nurses had also hampered kidney transplant and dialysis service at the hospital. “The hospital administration suspended them and decided against extending their contract as they disturbed the hospital environment,” said Shrestha.

Speaking to THT, Jati said she got admitted to the hospital for treatment. She also insisted she would not leave the ward unless justice was delivered to them. “We are striking but we have never disturbed the hospital environment,” she said.

Ganga Thapa, acting President of Nepal Nursing Association said, “The administration has suspended the nurses and ended their contracts two months before expiry date.”