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Doctors’ nationwide protest pushes patients into lurch

 

Chitwan, July 8: Patients are bearing the brunt of doctors’ nationwide protest since medical services, except for emergencies, remain shut across all public and private healthcare facilities in the country, including Chitwan district.

The protest waged by healthcare providers under the leadership of the Nepal Medical Association, an umbrella organisation of medical doctors, has also directly affected patients at Bharatpur Hospital in the district. Patients arriving at Bharatpur Hospital are turning away from the Hospital after the doctors continue their protest for lack of timely response to their demands. Emergency and urgent surgeries are continuing while regular services have been suspended.

The Hospital has been treating cancer patients from 25 districts across the country, as well as neighbouring India. Sarita Darai, who came from the Rising rural municipality of Tanahu district for the treatment of her father-in-law, grieved that they could not avail treatment due to the protest. “We had been to the Hospital for the treatment of skin disease. We have been waiting since Monday, only to find out that all services except for emergency are closed,” she lamented, ranting that it was a waste of time and money.

Likewise, Dil Bahadur Kunwar Khadka, 60, of Bharatpur Metropolitan City-12 in Chitwan district, echoed similar disappointment after being unable to access healthcare services for his health issue. “I somehow managed to visit the hospital but the shutdown of services in the Hospital made it more difficult for someone like me who had come on leave from the office,” the elderly person frowned in frustration. Patients from outside of the district, like Gopi Mukhiya of Sarlahi district, are struggling with accommodation and meal issues due to prolonged protests.

Mukhiya came to the Hospital some 10 days ago for his wife’s treatment. As the time to show the report to the doctor following various medical tests arrived, the protest ensued, leaving his wife and him at a loss. Like them, many patients, including Dhanmaya Shrestha of Thori rural municipality of Parsa district, Dandapani Sapkota of Bharatpur-5 in Chitwan district, are facing similar problems.

Patients in other hospitals such as BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Chitwan Medical College, College of Medical Science and Bharatpur Eye Hospital, among others, are also affected. NMA’s Chitwan Chapter’s senior Vice-President, Dr Dilendra Neupane, mentioned that they were staging a protest against the Consumer Court’s recent verdict.

The verdict imposed a severe penalty on the doctors found guilty of gross negligence that led to serious complications and patients’ deaths. He warned that they would continue with the protest until their demands were addressed. Association’s Chitwan Chapter’s President Dr Umesh Nepal explained that they were forced to protest as their demands were unheeded as yet.

Chitwan Medical College’s Executive Director, Pratap Devkota, urged the government to address the protesting doctors’ demand at the earliest and resume other services in the hospitals, noting the mounting pressure on emergency services.

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