9-point demand letter regarding the services and facilities of resident doctors by the National Medical Association

Nepal Health News, Kathmandu – Targeting medical colleges and academic institutions operating in Nepal, the Nepal Medical Association has made public a nine-point demand letter as a special initiative for the rights and welfare of resident doctors.

In an appeal jointly signed by the association’s president Dr. Bikash Gauchan and general secretary Dr. Samrat Parajuli, it has been emphasized that resident doctors should be provided with a monthly subsistence allowance equivalent to that of an eighth-level government officer. Additionally, it has been stated that health insurance coverage should also be ensured for the families of doctors.

The association has also demanded that doctors be granted mandatory “force leave,” be provided with free accommodation, and that a separate budget be allocated for research. Moreover, it has called for the availability of helpline and counseling services for psychosocial support.

Furthermore, the association has urged that medical colleges be recognized as special service sectors and that a safe working environment for doctors be established. It also called for a policy of zero tolerance toward incidents of violence in hospitals.

Similarly, the association has demanded that before launching MD/MS programs, each department must have at least one professor, one associate professor, and two assistant professors in place. Only after meeting this minimum requirement should the programs proceed, along with the provision of services and facilities according to the respective levels.