KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 17

Nepal Medical Association (NMA) and Association of Private Health Institution of Nepal (APHIN) have forged a consensus to raise doctors' consultation fee effective from today.

In a statement today, NMA and APHIN said, a decision to this effect was taken after a joint-meeting in consultations with Nepal Rastra Bank's Inflation Rate and Fee Consultation Committee. The associations also urged all the stakeholders to implement the decision effective from Wednesday.

According to the new consultation fee plan, patients will have to pay Rs 825 for specialists' services including MD, MS, MDS, and DM/Mch holding more than 10 years of work experience.

The associations have also demanded the medical centres to provide medical officers a minimum salary of Rs 42,000.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health and Population had forged consensus with active trade unions and health related professional associations to implement the new consultation fees within 30 days, but to no avail.