On 23 Asar (July 7), several hospitals across Nepal, including Kathmandu’s Bir Hospital, were left without doctors as medical professionals marked their attendance and then walked out in protest. The Nepal Medical Association (NMA) launched a nationwide strike, halting all services except emergency care, leaving patients stranded.
One woman from Jadibuti brought her ailing husband, suffering from diabetes and kidney issues, to the hospital only to find OPD services suspended. “We are poor. When public hospitals shut down, we are left with no option but to suffer,” she said.
The protest was sparked by recent verdicts from the consumer court, which ordered multiple hospitals and doctors to pay compensation in alleged negligence cases. NMA claims these rulings undermine the jurisdiction of the Nepal Medical Council.
Although doctors signed in for duty, they were notably absent from hospital departments. At Bir Hospital, doctors were seen neither attending patients nor inside the premises. Hospital officials said their attempt to keep services open was blocked as NMA members locked the OPD area.
Verdicts include:
- Om Hospital: Rs 50.7 lakh compensation
- Himal Hospital and doctors: Rs 1.45 crore
- Grande City Hospital and doctors: Rs 57 lakh
Despite laws that prohibit strikes in essential sectors like healthcare, the protest continues, depriving many patients of critical services.
