Kathmandu, 20 Oct: The umbrella organizations of private hospitals and medical colleges in Nepal have boycotted a crucial meeting called by the Ministry of Health and Population to discuss service facilities for nurses. The Association of Private Health Institutes of Nepal (APHIN) and the Association of Medical and Dental Colleges of Nepal refused to attend the meeting scheduled for Sunday. In a joint statement, they accused the protesting party—the agitating nurses—of engaging in uncivil behavior, making the environment unsuitable for dialogue.
Allegations of Insults and “Mafia” Placards Mar Dialogue Process
The private associations strongly objected to what they described as the use of insulting language, inappropriate behavior, and the display of placards labeling them as “mafia” by the protesting side during the ongoing discussions. This, they stated, was the primary reason for their boycott. Despite this, both APHIN and the Association of Medical and Dental Colleges reaffirmed their commitment to providing continuous healthcare services to patients across Nepal. They also pledged to seek a just solution in the coming days through cooperation with the nurses and health workers.
Nurses and health workers from institutions like Pokhara’s Manipal Teaching Hospital, Virta Teaching Hospital, and Nobel Medical College have been protesting for the past month. Their demands include a minimum salary and improved service facilities. Some nurses from these private medical colleges have reported receiving meager salaries between 10,000 to 17,000 NPR, a stark contrast to the government-stipulated minimum wage of 34,730 NPR for nurses.
In a firm reaction, Prof. Dr. Gyanendra Man Singh Karki, President of the private medical and dental colleges, stated that it is not feasible for these institutions to provide government-level salaries and service facilities. The boycott comes despite instructions from Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ last Thursday to address the nurses’ demands promptly. Following this directive, the Health Ministry had formed a 14-member committee, whose first meeting was held. Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson for the ministry, confirmed that the meeting proceedings continued despite the boycott.
