Government doctors pay and perks to increase

The government is planning to increase pay and perks of the doctors working in government hospitals.

Minister of State at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Umesh Shrestha today confirmed that the government is preparing to increase the perks and benefits of the doctors working at government hospitals. "The government is planning to increase the pay and perks of the doctors in the government hospital so that they do not have to work at private hospitals and clinics," he said, speaking at a programme organised after the monitoring and inspection of Shivanagar Primary Health Center.

"The government is trying to prevent doctors working in government hospitals from serving in private sector hospitals and clinics," he said, adding that the government has formed a committee to study and recommend the pay and perks.

Stressing that hospitals should be built in a place where people can get services easily and where doctors can go and stay, he said, adding that the construction of municipal level hospitals is underway in 753 municipalities and rural municipalities across the country. "But a proper planning is needed while constructing hospitals."

Finland helps Nepal

In the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Finland has extended support of medical equipment and supplies to Nepal.

"The shipment arrived in a chartered flight dispatched by the Finnish government includes 350,000 FFP2 masks; 100,000 KN95 masks; 232,500 gloves; 30,000 gowns; 2,498,000  facemasks; and 350,000 face shields," according to a press note issued by the Foreign Ministry.

Finnish ambassador to Nepal Pertti Anttinen handed over the materials to health minister Hridayesh Tripathi, at a brief ceremony held at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) this morning, the press note reads, adding that Nepal also thanked the Finnish government for its generous support, which would help contain the surge of Covid-19 cases. "The timely support received from the Government of Finland reflects the longstanding development partnership and friendship among the people of both the countries."

The government also deeply appreciates Finland’s solidarity to Nepal at this hour of difficulty, it adds.

The support received today is in response to Nepal’s request to Finland, communicated bilaterally as well as through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, for supporting Nepal with Covid-19 related vaccines, medicines, equipment and supplies.

Dr KC ends his 24-day-long hunger strike, slams government for policy level corruption

Senior orthopedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC has ended his 16the hunger strike on the 24th day today evening, a day after the upper house endorsed the controversial National Medical educational Bill without favouring amendments.
Organising a press meet at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Dr KC announced the end of his hunger strike by drinking juice from the hand of sanitation staffer at TU Teaching Hospital Amrit Puraji, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki and former Speaker Damannath Dhungana.
He, however, said that he would continue his protests in a different way for reforms in Medical Education Bill. Warning that he would stage the 17th hunger strike again if his demands were not fulfilled by the government, he also alsmed the Prime Minister KP Oli for betraying not only the Mathema report and medical students but the entire 30 million Nepali citizens.
Saying that he would not accept the bill that was forcefully endorsed by the Parliament the surgeon expressed that he would continue his struggle against the policy-level corruption that has gripped the medical education sector. "I will fight until I initiate reform in the medical education sector,” he said prior to being transferred to TUTH Intensive Care Unit for further treatment.
Earlier today, former President Ram Baran Yadav, former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana and Former TU Vice-Chancellor Kedar Bhakta Mathema reached TUTH to urge Dr KC to end his hunger strike.
Yesterday, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba and leader Gagan Thapa visited Dr KC at the hospital. They urged him to end his hunger strike saying that the incumbent government is 'merciless and irresponsbile'.
Earlier, Ministry of Health and Population warned to jail doctors, who shut down all health services supporting the agitating surgeon.
Though Dr KC had been staging the hunger strike demanding that the National Medical Education Bill be endorsed in the Parliament as per the agreement signed with him in the 15th hunger strike by the incumbent Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, the government turned its blind eye to his hunger strike and tabled the bill. The bill has already been endorsed from the federal House of Representatives and National Assembly by a majority.
Dr KC begun his 16th hunger strike in Ilam from January 9 after the government failed to endorse the Medical Education Bill in line with the agreement signed with him earlier. Later, he was brought to Kathmandu after his health deteriorated.

Unicef hands over health posts

Unicef has handed over a health post building in Malu of the Dolakha district. Deputy Executive Director of Unicef Fatoumata Ndiaye handed the building today after the three-year anniversary of the earthquake that struck Nepal. Ndiaye handed over the keys of the new facility to Health Post In-Charge Deependra Khadka.
This health post is the 43rd of 74 such facilities that Unicef is supporting to build after the devastating earthquakes in 2015, according to a press release issued by the Unicef. The earthquakes destroyed altogether 446 health facilities and administrative buildings and damaged 765 more.
"The 2015 earthquakes took a very serious toll on the health care system in the affected districts and also exposed children and people to additional health risks,” said Ndiaye during the health post handover ceremony. "The prefabricated health posts like the one we now have in Malu can last for a decade or more with proper maintenance and can withstand strong wind, fire and earthquakes as well as severe weather conditions, enabling children and the community to receive continuous care and services even in the aftermath of a disaster while more permanent facilities can be built over time," she added.
Unicef first supported the government of Nepal by providing medical service tents as well as essential drugs, instrument and equipment to respond to the urgent need of restoring health services immediately after the earthquakes, the release reads, adding that it is now supporting the Nepal to build back better by replacing 74 of the affected health facilities with prefabricated structures that are disaster-resistant.
"These health facilities are an example of Unicef's commitment towards enhancing the health and wellbeing of children and women in Nepal,” added Ndiaye.
"After the earthquake, the government of Nepal began providing immediate health care services from under medical tents at the 14 most earthquake-affected districts," state minister for Health and Population Padma Kumari Aryal said, adding that the government built temporary structures like the pre-fabs to ensure continuous services. "Of about 300 health facilities the government of Nepal has planned, 74 prefab structures are being built with Unicef."
The quality structures are expected to last a long time and thus help ensure continuous access of health services, she added.
The new health facilities also include birthing centers; fully furnished including medical equipment; and connected with water supply and power back-up systems with solar panels. In addition, the Unicef has also been working with local communities for their active engagement in the entire process of setting up the new facilities to ensure good utilisation and maintenance of the facilities.