KATHMANDU: The health professionals across the nation are running scared these days. This is largely because they have been subjected to physical attack and intimidation as the culture of impunity strikes deep root across the length and breadth of the country.

In the light of unsafe environs, they have been clamouring for

effective implementation of the Health Professional Protection Act, which was endorsed by the Cabinet around seven months ago. The initiative will help reduce the growing attack on health institutions. The Act, which, at best, remains a paper tiger, empowers legal action against all those who are found guilty in assaulting professionals and vandalising health institutions. As per the Act, anyone involved in picketing, misbehaving or manhandling health professionals is liable to pay a fine between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000.

A similar offense on health institutions — like vandalism, arson and other forms of disruptive activities — entails a penalty of up to Rs 300,000 and a one-year jail term or both, depending on the nature of the crime.

Dr Kedar Narsingh KC, president, Nepal Medical Association (NMA), voiced his concern about the recent trend.

“Impunity, per se, is on the rise in society. Consequently, health institutions, too, are being targeted with unflinching regularity. The government has been reduced to a mute spectator. It is unable to bring the guilty to book,” he added.

Consider a recent incident. A group of people, led by Constitutional Assembly member Arjun Rai, threatened to resort to arson at National Institute of Neurological and Allied Sciences in Bansabari on December 1. Tension ran high at the health facility in the capital following death of Shiva Ram Rai, a patient.

Dr Upendra Devkota, who is associated with the hospital, was manhandled by the victim's kin, alleging Rai died due to gross medical negligence.

Dr KC maintained that the medical body sprung into action immediately in defence of Dr

Devkota. “We submitted our memorandums to Subas Nembang, chairperson, Constituent Assembly, and Surya Bahadur Thapa, president, Rastriya Janashakti Party, urging them to take action against Arjun Rai. Alas! Our efforts went in vain,” he claimed.

The NMA president elaborated on their move to safeguard the health professionals and institutions. “We signed agreements with successive governments over the past few years to prevent the recurrence of these incidents. So far, not a single case has been solved,” he added. Dr KC opined that these growing incidents were one of the primary reasons

for brain-drain of health

professionals. As a counter-argument, he sought solace in the country's tryst with fragile peace.

A random record revealed, 40 cases of deceased victims' kin going berserk had come to light across the nation in the past two years. The violence, in almost all cases, was attributed to doctors' negligence that caused patients' death.

Dr Roshan Raut, a cardiologist at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, too, complained about the sorry state of affairs. He has also been at the receiving end of agitators' ire a few months ago. The protesters torched his motorbike in June while he was rushing to hospital to attend an emergency case during a bandh.

“The government needs to be more sensitive to our cause since we’re responsible to save others’ loves. The state needs to assert more to restore law and order,” reasoned the cardiologist.

For instance, bandh enforcers often set up roadblocks for ambulances and other hospital vehicles. They vandalise health professionals' car, little realising the sensitiveness of their trade.

Dr Praveen Mishra, secretary, Ministry of Health and Population, claimed that plans were afoot for effective implementation of the Act. “This is a disturbing trend. We've sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs to give more teeth to the Act. We also plan to review the health policy, which was introduced in 1996, by mid-February,” he added.