Home Ministry commits to punishing those attacking health professionals

The Ministry of Home Affairs has said it is serious on incidents of attack since some time on health workers at the health institutions in various districts, including Makawanpur, Kanchanpur, Lamjung and Kaski, among others.

The Ministry has expressed commitment to take the administrative and legal action against the culprits found involved in attacking the health workers in these incidents.

Ministry spokesperson Kedarnath Sharma informed that letter has been sent to the Ministry of Health and Population, the Nepal Police Headquarters and all the district administration offices for the implementation of the decisions taken by a meeting held on September 26 in connection with resolving such problems seen from time to time. The meeting was held in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet and the representatives of the stakeholder bodies concerned.

The Home Ministry spokesperson said that one of the security persons found guilty in the incident took place in Kaski has been transferred to the centre and the next one has been suspended as per the law.

"Therefore, the health workers working in a sensitive sector as the health service are urged to end all types of protest programmes and return back to work fulfilling their duty and responsibilities," the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Likewise, the Ministry has informed all citizens as well that stern action would be taken as per the law if they attacked the health professionals and appealed to one and all to fulfill their role from their respective quarters in order to make the health sector secure.

The Ministry stated that the Ministry of Health and Population shall make arrangements for placing public notice referring to the provisions related to the offence and punishment stipulated in the Health Workers and Health Institutions Safety Act, 2066 (First Amendment 2079), in a way people can see it easily.

Likewise, the Home Ministry said a decision has been made to give directives to the subordinate agencies to take action in accordance with the Act against those found guilty of involvement in incidents of assault and mistreatment on health workers working at various health institutions throughout the country of late.

Spokesperson Sharma said a decision has been made according to which the Ministry of Health and Population will make arrangements for calling a regular meeting of the Coordination Committee on the security of health workers and health workers working at health institutions as stipulated in the Act, and for its effective implementation.

It may be noted that doctors and health workers have taken to the streets demanding action against those who have manhandled doctors in different parts of the country.

---