KATHMANDU, July 8: The agitating Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has called off its protest after reaching a three-point agreement with the government on Tuesday evening.
The talks, held at the Ministry of Health and Population, involved Health Minister Pradip Poudel, Law Minister Ajay Chaurasiya, Industry Minister Damodar Bhandari and NMA representatives. The negotiations were prompted by the NMA’s nationwide strike, which had halted all hospital services except emergency care from Monday. The protest was sparked by recent Consumer Court verdicts on alleged medical negligence, which doctors said infringed upon the jurisdiction of the Nepal Medical Council (NMC).
Agitating doctors reach six-point agreement with govt, withdraw...
Under the agreement, a three-member task force will be formed to recommend necessary legal and policy amendments within seven days. The team will include the head of the Department of Supply Management and Consumer Protection (as coordinator), along with joint-secretary-level representatives from the Ministries of Law and Health.
The task force will submit its report to concerned ministers and stakeholders, forming the basis for proposed reforms. Additionally, the government has pledged to secure in-principle approval from the Cabinet within a week to begin fast-track amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 2018, and other relevant laws.
The NMA had been demanding legal clarity on medical accountability, claiming recent court rulings such as orders for Om Hospital, Himal Hospital and Grande City Hospital to pay substantial compensation—set a ‘dangerous precedent’ for medical practitioners.
With the agreement in place, the NMA has formally withdrawn its protest programs.
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