Rajbiraj, November 24

Protesting police high-handedness at Gajendra Narayan Singh Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital on Sunday, all the health facilities in the district have pulled their shutters from today.

Health workers at the health facility had brought all services, except emergency, to a grinding halt from Sunday to protest police brutality.

A meeting of the chiefs, representatives of all hospitals, government offices, clinics, professional organisations and other stakeholders yesterday decided to halt services in all health facilities across the district effective from today. However, the zonal hospital has been providing general health services from a tent outside the hospital gate.

The agitating health workers have demanded immediate suspension of DSPs and SPs of Nepal Police and APF, security guarantee, free treatment of the injured and proper compensation. Acting Chief of the health facility Dr Deepa Yadav said that they were feeling insecure at the health facility due to the police attack, compelling them to shut all health facilities of the district for indefinite period.

Meanwhile, the district denizens demanded immediate resumption of services, complaining that they were deprived of life-saving health services. Patients who have visited the hospital have been referred to Dharan, Biratnagar among other places for treatment and they have been facing a hard time due to the shortage of ambulance services, said Civil Society Saptari Acting Chairman Than Singh Bhansali.

He stressed the need to resume services by dealing with the agitating forces at the earliest.

Saptari police Chief SP Bhim Prasad Dhakal said that he was deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the district. He said, “Initiative to settle the matter is under way.”