BUTWAL: Nurses and paramedics working at the Universal College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), popularly known as Bhairahawa Medical College and Teaching Hospital, have accused the administration of apathy toward their demands.
The protesting staff said the administration has ignored their concerns even after they have been organizing a peaceful sit-in in front of the college since October 19. They are demanding salaries in line with the government’s standards, timely promotions, appointments in accordance with the Labor Act and health regulations, as well as benefits such as maternity leave and risk allowances.
Although the agitating staffers had submitted a memorandum to the hospital management administration on October 19, the protesters said they were forced to present another 12-point demand letter on Sunday after their earlier demands went unheard.
On Monday, the nurses and paramedics continued their demonstration on the hospital premises. Gautam Nepali, one of the protesters, said they have been on strike for the past eight days demanding that the hospital pay salaries as fixed by the government. Stating that they remain committed to serving patients, he urged the hospital management to heed their demands. Other participants said they could not disclose their identities for fear of reprisal from the hospital management.
A staff nurse said they were compelled to launch the protest because the hospital has not provided salaries and benefits according to the government’s prescribed scale. She said they submitted their demands to the hospital management on October 17. They launched their protests two days later by refusing to admit new patients while continuing treatment of those already admitted.
“We are working for very little pay; our labor is being exploited,” she said. “We have taken to the streets because the hospital refused even to listen to us.”
The protesters said they have not disrupted dialysis services and have only stopped admitting new patients. They have given the administration until Kartik 11 (October 27) to address their 12-point demands.
“Our movement against years of labor exploitation and injustice will only intensify if our demands are ignored,” said another staff nurse, who has been with the hospital for 13 years. She said that she receives only the starting salary of Rs 15,600, whereas the government scale for her level is Rs 43,689.
According to hospital employees, starting salaries are as low as Rs 10,000, which rise to Rs 13,000 after four or five years and only Rs 15,600 thereafter.
The hospital management, however, has accused the protesters of depriving patients of treatment by advancing demands inconsistent with those of the Nepal Nursing Association. Chief Executive Officer Ajay Kumar PS, in a press release, said health services have been affected due to the protest and urged the staff to come for talks. The statement also claimed that the hospital pays at least the minimum salary and argued that strikes are prohibited in essential services like hospitals.
Hospital’s information officer Sushil Gurung said private hospitals cannot afford to provide benefits equivalent to those of government employees.
Meanwhile, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, radiologists, CMAs and health assistants working at the hospital have also shown solidarity with the protest.
