NU
Tue, 08 July 2025
KATHMANDU, Nepal – Medical services across Nepal, excluding emergencies, remained severely disrupted for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, as doctors continued a nationwide protest against recent Consumer Court decisions. Spearheaded by the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) and other medical organisations, this ongoing strike, which began on Monday, July 7, 2025, has left thousands of patients stranded, particularly those seeking non-emergency treatment and follow-up care.
The protest primarily stems from Consumer Court verdicts that have imposed heavy penalties on doctors and private hospitals for alleged medical negligence. Notably, the court ordered compensation to the family of Rajesh Pariyar, a patient who died following a kidney operation at Bir Hospital, ruling Dr. Prakash Singh Pradhan negligent. Beyond this, the court has also levied significant fines on other private institutions: £5.68 million on Chabahil-based Om Hospital (with 8 percent attributed to the hospital and 20 percent to the doctors involved); £5.7 million on Grande City Clinic (with £4 million to the doctors and £1.7 million to the hospital); and £14.5 million on Himal Hospital (70 percent to the doctor and 30 percent to the hospital).
The NMA argues that these rulings "criminalise medical practice," creating an environment where doctors cannot work without constant fear of legal repercussions for unforeseen outcomes. The association is expressing strong reservations about the Consumer Court's decisions concerning medical practices, particularly these recent verdicts. NMA General Secretary Dr. Sanjeev Tiwari publicly said that the medical profession is highly sensitive and science-based, arguing that it should not be evaluated like other professions and that such matters should be handled by the Nepal Medical Council. Doctors are demanding an amendment to the Consumer Protection Act, 2075, and the formation of a separate Medical Tribunal to handle cases of alleged medical negligence, asserting that such cases require specialised understanding that general consumer courts may lack.
The impact of the strike has been profound across the capital and beyond, affecting both private and public hospitals. The daily patient flow in the Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) of major Kathmandu hospitals, including Bir Hospital, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Maharajgunj, Patan Hospital in Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Kanti Children's Hospital in Maharajgunj, National Trauma Centre, and Paropakar Maternity & Women's Hospital, typically reaches thousands daily. A significant majority of these service seekers are referred from different parts of the country, seeking better or specialised medical care.
Himal Sapkota, a patient with a critical head injury, arrived at the National Trauma Centre on Monday expecting admission for major surgery, only to be denied treatment due to the strike. His father expressed deep frustration, stating they could not afford private treatment. This scenario was echoed by tens of thousands of ailing individuals who found services suspended across state-run health facilities. Patients reported long queues and a complete lack of clear information regarding the closure, leaving them unsure where to seek alternative care. Social media platforms are now replete with desperate pleas for help from patients, particularly those requiring follow-up treatments, who travelled from distant parts of the country only to find services suspended.
Consumer rights advocates have voiced strong criticism. Jyoti Baniya, chair of the Forum for the Protection of Consumer Rights-Nepal, also publicly made it clear that halting hospital services and denying treatment to patients had become a tactic by the association to pressure the government. He confirmed that a memorandum had been furnished to the Prime Minister, urging action against those depriving patients of treatment. Aakriti Triphiti, a legal officer at the same forum, condemned the doctors' actions, noting that doctors halted essential services even without knowing the detailed verdict, which she considered a crime in itself. Denial of treatment, they highlight, violates patients' constitutional rights and, as per the National Penal (Code) Act 2017, can lead to imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of £30,000.
This marks the second time the Nepal Medical Association has called a strike in the past three months. In April, the association had instructed its member doctors to shun services to pressure private medical colleges to provide stipends on par with those offered by government-owned colleges. As part of the ongoing protest, NMA has urged doctors and health workers to participate in sit-ins, with those in Kathmandu Valley gathering at Maitighar Mandala and others at designated locations outside the Valley.
Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population are reportedly attempting to resolve the issues raised by the doctors' association. Dr Prakash Budhathoky, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, affirmed that health services, being very essential, should not be halted under any circumstances. As the stalemate continues, thousands of patients, many far from home, remain caught in the crossfire, their hope for essential care fading with each passing day.
Patients with poor financial condition, for whom government hospitals are the only affordable option, now find themselves stranded and utterly helpless, with nowhere to turn.
