Chitwan hospitals shut indefinitely

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

CHITWAN: Health institutes of Chitwan today halted all services, other than emergency, to protest frequent attacks on doctors, health workers and hospitals.

An emergency meeting of Nepal Doctors' Association, Chitwan, this morning decided that health workers would not return to work until they assured of security.

Bharatpur-based BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Asha Hospital Pvt Ltd and Bharatpur Hospital have been tense for the last three days after a cancer hospital nurse was beaten up after a patient's death.

Bharatpur Hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr Mahendra Raj Neupane was assaulted today after an asthma patient, Ram Chandra Samari (53) of Manahari, Makwanpur, died while undergoing treatment in Bharatpur Hospital on Saturday night. Dr Neupane said he was consoling Samari's relatives after his death but he was attacked all of a sudden. Dr Neupane was hit under his eye and got three stitches. Police have held Samari's son Krishna Hari for his alleged involvement in the attack.

Medical Department Chief

Dr Bijay Raj Poudel and on duty Sub-Inspector Bhanu were with him when the Samari's kin pounced on him. Dr Bijay Raj said Sub-Inspector Bhanu was also manhandled. Samari's other son, Rajan, alleged that the doctors reduced the level of oxygen leading to his father's death. Dr Bhoj Raj Adhikari, who was involved in Samari's treatment, claimed that the patient was given six kg oxygen per hour and did not die due to negligence. He admitted that Samari's kin did ask him to increase the level of oxygen.

NDA Secretary Dr Krishna Poudel said they were compelled to shut health services to protest continuous attacks on doctors, health workers and health institutes in the last three day by patients' kin, who have also been demanding inappropriate compensation. Dr Poudel said they had demanded action against the security agencies, blaming them for failure to stop incessant attacks.

Association's Chairperson

Dr Bhola Rauniyar has demanded an assurance to put an end to such attacks.

Chitwan CDO Himnath Dawadi, meanwhile, has issued a statement urging the agitating doctors to return to work. He also assured them that the district administration was ready to provide them with security.

Earlier, tension ran high at Bharatpur-based Asha Hospital after the kin of a patient, who died in course of treatment allegedly due to doctor's negligence, vandalised the hospital yesterday.