Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital Staff Protest Over Unapproved Regulations

Kathmandu. Employees and health workers working at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital have protested. Employees and health workers have protested demanding that the employee service and conditions regulations be passed immediately.

They have been protesting, stating that the employee regulations have not been passed by the Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene for a long time. Last Monday, employees provided services with a symbolic protest by tying black bands on their arms, including demands for the passage of regulations. The employees, who are protesting peacefully, have warned that they will intensify the protest.

They have also announced that they will lock the office of Executive Director Ujjwal Chalise if their demands are not met.

Employees are angry, stating that the hospital is operating without legal clarity due to the lack of regulations. Due to the failure to pass the regulations, which are stuck in the Ministry of Health, the career development, promotion, service facilities, and permanent process of 372 employees working in the hospital have been completely obstructed.

The protesting employees demand that contract and daily wage workers be made permanent.

After the government brought Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital under its purview on November 10, 2020 (2077 Kartik 24), the process of creating employee service and facility regulations began. After a long effort, the management committee meeting on May 26, 2026 (2083 Jestha 13) passed the regulations. An employee said that although Executive Director Dr. Chalise, in his capacity as member-secretary, had formally sent a letter calling a meeting in his own office to clarify the regulations further, he himself was absent.

The hospital administration stated that contract and daily wage employees will be directly affected by the absence of employee regulations.

Hospital Administration Chief Rajaram Tajale said that the hospital has to operate without regulations. Tajale said, 'There was a problem in the appointment process. There are employees who have been working here for many years. It is difficult for their promotions.'

He said that in case of a patient's death due to unforeseen circumstances and if their relatives go to court, there is confusion about the status of the employee.

Tajale told Ratopati, 'Are we civil servants or Nepal Health employees? Nothing has been addressed. How much leave should be given to working employees? How much maternity leave? How much study leave? How to provide gratuity to people reaching mandatory retirement? These issues have caused us great difficulty.'

On November 10, 2020 (2077 Kartik 24), the government brought this hospital under its purview through a government order and started its operation and management. After becoming a government entity, a draft of the regulations was prepared in 2021 (2078) and sent to the Ministry of Health to clarify employee service and facilities. However, due to various political and administrative reasons, the regulations remained in the Ministry of Health for about a year and a half.

Later, due to the continuous pressure and initiative of the employees, the file moved forward, and the regulations were returned to Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital for further discussion and revision with the consent of the Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Finance. The regulations have received the necessary recommendations from the Public Service Commission, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene.

Although the Hospital Development Committee has studied and sent it to the Ministry for approval with the signatures of the Chairman, Executive Director, and officials, the protesting employees say that no decision has been made so far.

The protesting employees claim that the hospital's management committee meeting on May 26, 2026 (2083 Jestha 13) decided to approve the regulations and send them to the ministry, as the regulations reached the final stage. Although 6 out of the 11 members of the management committee signed the decision, the members representing social workers refused to sign. The protesting side alleges that the process of stopping the regulations is being instigated by the group that used to usurp the hospital and act arbitrarily in the past.

Due to the absence of regulations, among the 372 employees currently working in the hospital, 170 permanent, 132 contract, and 30 daily wage employees are directly affected. Without employee administration regulations, there is no legal clarity on how to make new appointments, what will be the basis for leave (maternity, study), gratuity, and promotion. In case of an accident due to any human error during treatment or if a lawsuit is filed in court, there is no legal identification of the employee's status (civil servant, health service, or development committee). Due to this lack of legal structure, employees are forced to work in extreme uncertainty.

Employees accuse the management of delaying the introduction of regulations with the intention of financial and administrative arbitrariness. They claim that without regulations and procedures, the executive director is free to appoint his people and relatives on daily wages against the rules, purchase equipment arbitrarily, and not comply with financial laws. Another employee alleged that if the regulations are passed, such arbitrariness will stop and transparent procedures will have to be followed, so Executive Director Chalise himself is playing a game to stop the regulations by instigating some members of the management committee.

This community hospital was established in 1994 (2051 BS) in collaboration with the then Ministry of Health and Population, Bhaktapur Municipality, Rotary Club, and the Nepal Cancer Control Society, among other social organizations. Since its establishment, this hospital has been providing quality treatment services to cancer patients across Nepal.

Later, at the proposal of the then Ministry of Health and Population, the Council of Ministers meeting on November 10, 2020 (2077 Kartik 24) approved the 'Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital Development Committee Formation Order 2077' and it has been operating with 123 beds under the ministry.