The Nepal Medical Association has announced it’ll halt services at all hospitals across the country, except for emergency care, on Sunday in protest against the police assault on a doctor during the President’s convoy on Friday.

An emergency meeting of the central executive committee of the association held on Saturday decided to halt the services both in government and private hospitals.

The move was taken to ensure peace and security in a sensitive sector such as health and establish a proper system to permanently end sufferings inflicted on the public during VVIP convoys, the NMA said in a statement.

The association, the umbrella body of medical and dental doctors, further said it is seriously concerned over the incident.

“The association is shocked to know that doctors and health workers working in sensitive areas like health services were not only attacked and seriously injured by the police in the name of VVIP’s security but even patients heading to hospitals were also stopped,” reads the statement.

Earlier, doctors at Bir Hospital and National Trauma Centre had decided not to provide Outpatient Department (OPD) services.

On Friday, police assaulted Dr Janith Singh, a senior orthopaedic surgeon of the National Trauma Centre, for walking during President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s convoy on its way back to Sheetal Niwas.

Dr Singh was assaulted by on-duty police personnel while he was heading to the hospital to join his duty. He has sustained head injuries and is currently kept under observation in the Intensive Care Unit.

Police personnel also attacked other medical officers who had blocked the traffic for half an hour protesting against the attack.

The incident has sparked public outrage. A group of activists including doctors protested at Maitighar in the Capital on Saturday demanding action against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, Nepal Police has suspended Shambhu Jung Gurung, a senior head constable of Metropolitan Police Circle, accused of baton-charging the doctor.