Eva [name changed], a staff nurse at a teaching hospital under Bhairahawa-based Universal College of Medical Science, receives only Rs13,000 as basic salary a month. The hospital also provides her additional Rs5,000 allowances in night-duty allowances.

“The amount isn't even insufficient to pay my monthly rent. How long can I ask my parents for money for survival,” complained Eva, who does not wish to disclose her real name fearing retribution from the hospital administration. “Some of my colleagues receive even less—between Rs8,000 and Rs10,000. And some fresh graduates are compelled to work without pay.”

This is a common refrain among thousands of nurses serving in private hospitals throughout the country, who say they have long been exploited by hospital owners and medical colleges. These nurses have been holding a series of protests against labour exploitation and for salaries on par with their counterparts in state-run health institutions.

Since October 21, they have been wearing black arm bands while on duty, and have threatened to shun duties two hours daily—from 10 am to 12 pm starting October 29 if their demands are not met by Monday.

“It's been too much. Private hospitals have ignored our just demands and do not even think it necessary to pay us a basic salary equivalent to unskilled labourers,” said Rojita [name changed], a staff nurse, serving at Pokhara-based Gandaki Medical College, who also wished not to be named, as she feared of losing job for speaking out to media. “Despite knowing about our exploitation, no one has taken our issues seriously. Staging protest is not our choice. We don’t have any other option.”

Another nurse, Abha [name changed], who has been serving at Manipal College of Medical Sciences for the last 24 years, said she receives only Rs 29,000 a month, including Rs19,000 in basic salary and Rs10,000 in night-duty allowance.

“Most of my colleagues don’t get additional pay for night shifts or for exposure to infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis, among others,” she complained. “Many nurses are forced to pay for vaccines for themselves due to exposure to hazardous diseases. Hospitals only provide double masks and double gloves and tell us to handle hazardous cases.”

Due to such exploitation, health risks, and low pay, many nurses have quit the profession altogether. Several nurses the Post spoke to said that many of their colleagues have either gone abroad, changed careers, or become homemakers.

“One of my friends, a gold medalist from a nursing college in Bangalore [India] who headed an intensive care unit at a renowned hospital [in Nepal], left the profession after six years and joined a humanities college. Her salary was just Rs8,000 when she quit.”

The Nepal Nursing Association, which has called the ongoing protests, said it has been struggling for around two decades to ensure equal pay for nurses working in private hospitals and those in state-run health institutions.

“We’ve repeatedly drawn the attention of the authorities and signed agreements in the past,” said Professor Chandrakala Sharma, president of Nepal Nursing Association. “This time, our members serving at Manipal College of Medical Sciences started the protest, and our association helped it expand nationwide.”

According to Sharma, nurses in private hospitals earn less than one fourth of what their counterparts in state-run health facilities receive. Fresh graduates are often forced to work without pay.

“Nurses handle patients with infectious diseases and work in operation theatres, ICUs, and radiology departments, where risk of exposure to infections and radiation is always high,” said Sharma. “But despite all that, they are underpaid.”

Last year, the secretary at the Health Ministry issued a circular directing all private hospitals, medical colleges, and community hospitals to pay salaries on par with state-run health facilities. However, almost none of these institutions have complied.

“Skilled nurses, who have been engaged in saving the lives of patients deserve proper wages and benefits,” said Roshani Laxmi Tuintuin, former head of the Nursing Division. “Because of exploitation and low pay many nurses have left the profession.”

Meanwhile, a committee formed to address the nurses’ demands met on Sunday afternoon to discuss the ongoing protest.

A week ago, a 14-members committee was formed to resolve the situation. The committee is tasked with reviewing the circulars and reports relating to the remuneration of nurses and healthcare workers in private and community hospitals/health establishments.

It is also tasked to determine necessary agreements and implementation steps to ensure minimum salaries and allowances on par with government scales. Likewise, the committee will also prepare policy recommendations and an action plan for the government and related ministries to address this problem in the long term.