KATHMANDU: Resident doctors, who have been demanding the implementation of the proposed living allowance for over a month, intensified their protest on Sunday by marching through the streets in heavy rain. Starting from Maitighar Mandala, the rally proceeded towards Bijuli Bazar Bridge, with doctors braving the weather to press for their rights.
The protest, organized by the Safe Workplace Struggle Committee for Healthcare Workers, led by Dr. Sheshraj Ghimire, is a part of their ongoing campaign to compel the government to enforce a decision made by the Medical Education Commission.
The rally saw participation from resident doctors of both private medical colleges and government institutions across the country, as well as senior doctors and officials from the Nepal Medical Association. Doctors have been engaging in street protests for three weeks, demanding the fulfillment of the promised allowance.
The core of the protest is based on a decision made by the Medical Education Commission on February 7, which stated that resident doctors in private medical colleges should receive a living allowance of NPR 48,000, equivalent to the 8th-level government salary. However, despite over two and a half months passing, the decision has yet to be enforced by the private medical college operators.