KATHMANDU: Nepal’s health sector is facing mounting disruption as MBBS and BDS intern doctors have joined ongoing protests, days after nurses launched a nationwide movement over a separate set of demands.
Around 1,700 intern doctors from medical colleges across the country began a hunger strike on Tuesday, accusing teaching hospitals of excessive workloads, labor exploitation and failing to address demands they first raised four months ago.
The protesting interns are demanding an eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek in line with Nepal’s labor law, a refund of additional fees charged by medical colleges, an end to mandatory hostel residency, and the publication and implementation of a government task force report on their concerns.
Protest leader Dr. Dilli Harijan said repeated talks with the Ministries of Health and Education and the Medical Education Commission had failed to produce results. “The hunger strike will continue until our demands are addressed,” he said.
The latest protest comes after the government reached an agreement last week with doctors, ending a two-day disruption of outpatient services. However, nurses have continued nationwide demonstrations led by Jyoti Ranamat, who is on a hunger strike over a 15-point charter of demands.
Health Ministry spokesperson Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari said the government would work to address the interns’ concerns, noting they are entitled to labor rights under existing laws.
