MBBS and BDS Intern Doctors Protest for Stipend Uniformity

Kathmandu. To pressure for addressing the just demands of MBBS and BDS intern doctors across Nepal, victim doctors staged a sit-in at the Medical Education Commission today, Wednesday.

The sit-in was held citing that although the task force formed by the government had prepared a report and made necessary recommendations to bring uniformity in the stipend (maintenance allowance) of intern doctors, the decision has not been implemented.

Dilli Harijan, coordinator of the MBBS and BDS Intern Stipend Uniformity Campaign Nepal, informed that a peaceful sit-in was staged because no concrete decision or implementation process has moved forward from the Medical Education Commission so far.

Meanwhile, the Nepal Medical Association has expressed its attention towards the ongoing protest by intern doctors studying MBBS and BDS in various medical colleges across Nepal, raising various demands.

Issuing a statement today, Wednesday, the association has determined that it is a direct injustice to them that there is no uniformity in the allowance provided to intern doctors who have to work day and night despite extreme stress, and that the allowance is not distributed scientifically.

The association's statement states that it is unfortunate that although the Nepal government formed a task force and prepared a report on bringing uniformity in the stipend of intern doctors, its formal decision and implementation has not happened so far.

In a joint statement issued by Dr. Badri Rizal, President, and Dr. Bishwaraj Dawadi, General Secretary of the Medical Association, a strong demand has been made to the government to immediately address the justified demands put forward by the intern doctors.

The association has pointed out the need to maintain uniformity in the stipend of doctors across the country. Furthermore, the association has drawn the serious attention of the government to immediately implement the report of the task force formed to study this matter.