Doctors across the nation have risen in protest against the alarming surge in violence targeting medical professionals and healthcare workers.
Most recently, an angry mob vandalized property and assaulted a doctor at Manipal Teaching Hospital in Pokhara. The incident followed the death of one Sukmaya Dura (57) from Lamjung in the course of treatment at the hospital.
Enraged by Dura’s death, an agitated crowd resorted to violence. Their accusations centered on the alleged concealment of the Dura’s condition and suspicions of medical negligence, as they questioned how a seemingly stable patient could pass away so suddenly.
This disturbing trend of violence against medical practitioners has rippled across various parts of the country, with reports of two doctors being assaulted in Hetauda, and another doctor in District Hospital Lamjung suffering a similar fate, all amid accusations of inadequate medical care. Incidents of violence against doctors and medical professionals have also been reported in Butwal, Biratnagar, Chitwan, and Patan, leaving health workers across the country fearing for their lives.
In solidarity with their fellow healthcare professionals and to demand enhanced security measures, doctors in white coats gathered in Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala on Tuesday, brandishing placards bearing messages like “Don’t come to the hospital, save the lives of both doctors and patients,” and “Stop violence against health workers.” They demanded swift action against the perpetrators and an end to this vicious cycle.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Medical Association, in a strongly worded statement signed by General Secretary Dr Sanjay Tiwari, condemned these repeated attacks on doctors. The NMA stressed that without justice for these assaults, healthcare providers are left vulnerable and fearful, which imperils the delivery of essential medical services.
To address this crisis, the association has urgently called for a meeting involving hospital directors, resident association officials, and representatives from various specialty societies. Dr Sandip Okheda, president of the National Resident Doctors’ Association, Kathmandu, lamented the demoralization of health practitioners and emphasized that effective implementation of the Security of Health Workers and Health Organizations Act 2010 is vital to curb such violence.
The act stipulates severe penalties for attacks on health workers and health institutions, with those responsible facing imprisonment of up to three years or fines of Rs 300,000, or both. Vandalism of health institutions is equally punishable, with penalties ranging from two to five years in prison or fines of Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000, or both. Furthermore, the act ensures compensation for health workers and organizations suffering losses due to such offenses.
An amendment to the act introduced in 2022 also bans picketing, assaulting health workers, obstructing healthcare services, and damaging health institutions. Under the act, health workers and institutions can request immediate security from local authorities in response to threats or violence.
Dr Okheda underscored the urgent need for action against these perpetrators, echoing the growing chorus for justice and safety for those who dedicate their lives to saving others.
