Doctors withdraw protest program after reaching agreement with government

KATHMANDU, Sep 17: Nepal Medical Association and the government have reached an agreement. The Association withdrew their protest program after signing a six-point agreement on Sunday.

The government formed a negotiation team to discuss with the Nepal Medical Association to end the protest. A meeting was held between the Association and the negotiation team at the Ministry of Health on Sunday. The meeting was held under the coordination of the Ministry's Additional Secretary Vikas Devkota.

Along with Devkota, the joint secretaries from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs were the members of the negotiation team.

Similarly, Nepal Medical Association Chairman Dr Anil Bikram Karki, General Secretary Dr Sanjib Tiwari and others were present at the meeting.

The Nepal Medical Association had closed all health services except emergency services as an organized pressure to seek action against those involved in the physical assault.

Two doctors, Dr Bikash Thapa and Dr Prashant Bidari, were assaulted at Sancho Hospital in Hetauda on September 13, while they were treating patients in the hospital.

According to the Nepal Medical Association, all hospitals and health services will operate normally following the agreement.