Nepal Medical Association has called off its nationwide strike after shutting down all hospital services except emergency care for two days as it reached a five-point agreement with the government.

According to a statement issued by the association, the Ministry of Home Affairs will take legal action against those involved in the attack on a doctor and the vandalism at the Narayani Hospital, Birgunj in accordance with the Health Workers and Health Institutions Security Act, 2009.

Likewise, for amending Sections 2, 3, and 15 of the Health Workers and Health Institutions Security Act, 2009, as well as Sections 232 and 233 of the National Penal (Criminal) Code 2017, the Ministry of Health and Population will table the proposed amendments in the upcoming session of the House of Representatives and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs will facilitate necessary coordination and support.

A committee comprising representatives of the Nepal Medical Association will be formed within seven days to amend health related issues in the Consumer Protection Act (2018). As agreed, another committee will be formed within three days to review all past agreements reached with the association.

The association agreed to call off all protest programmes from Wednesday evening and resume all services.

“We have agreed to call off all protest programmes and resume the service immediately," said Dr Bishwa Raj Dawadi, general secretary of the association. “Halting services was not our choice. How can we treat patients when our fellow doctors are assaulted physically while providing treatment and are abused verbally? It is not possible to provide care in the environment of fear and insecurity.”

Affronted by the lackadaisical approach of the authorities concerned to punishing those involved in the attack on doctors and the health facility in Birgunj, the umbrella organisation of medical doctors had launched an indefinite nationwide strike on Tuesday.

Following the death of a 45-year-old heart patient undergoing treatment in the emergency department of Narayani Hospital, his relatives entered the emergency ward, vandalised property and assaulted doctors and health workers. Dr Pramod Ram, who was on duty, was brutally assaulted. He was brought to Kathmandu and admitted to the National Trauma Centre. According to doctors, his condition is out of danger.

Hundreds of thousands of patients from across the country had been deprived of health care services since Tuesday due to the doctors’ strike.

Dr Manohar Pradhan, an adviser to Health Minister Neesha Mehta, said the ministry was positive about most of the demands of the agitating doctors but it took time to reach an agreement as the association included the consumer court’s provision in the demand.

Due to prolonged strike in the outpatient care, the number of people seeking emergency care increased significantly. Emergency departments of major hospitals including Bir Hospital were overwhelmed with seriously ailing patients. Hospitals treated multiple patients in a single bed and in some cases male and female patients from different locations were placed on the same bed.

“We cannot deny service to seriously ailing patients. Therefore, we have been accommodating three to four patients in a single Emergency bed,” said Dr Prabha Chapagain, acting director at Bir Hospital. “Comapred to other days, the number of patients seeking care in the emergency ward was higher in our hospital.”

Doctors say treating multiple patients in a bed increases the risk of infections spreading from one patient to another.