The Ministry of Health and Population has constituted an 11-member committee chaired by Ministry's additional secretary Dr Tanka Barakoti to coordinate with respective bodies for the security of health professionals.
According to Ministry spokesperson, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, the formation of a body named 'Security Coordination Committee for Health Professionals and Health Institutions' followed a series of attacks on health workers and health institutions. The committee was formed in accordance with the Security of Health Workers and Health Organisations Act, 2066 BS (first amendment-2079 BS).
The Ministry has said it has already started dialogues with authorities concerned with unwanted physical assaults of late on health workers and the security of them.
The committee has been assigned to examine any incidences against the security of health workers took place in any health organisation, assist in the investigation and facilitate to implement the court verdict towards that end will be ensured.
The Act prohibits besieging (gherau), manhandling or doing degrading treatment to any health worker on the issue of medical treatment, destructing, setting fire to, any health organization or doing similar other acts.
It has provisions a fine of Rs two hundred thousand to five hundred thousand or a jail sentence from two to five years or both in case of causing fire to any health organisation or doing the similar act.
Likewise, it requires an imprisonment up to three years or a fine up to Rs three hundred thousand or both in case of physically assaulting any health workers or vandalizing any health organisation.
It has ensured a jail term up to one year or a fine of Rs hundred thousand for any offences of padlocking the health organisation, causing obstructions in the treatment of patients or manhandling any health worker.
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