The Kaski District Administration Office today directed Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital, Pokhara that remained closed for the past 15 days due to a strike enforced by doctors, to resume its services. 

The local administration has asked both the hospital management and protesting party to resolve the problem through talks, terming the shutdown of essential service like health illegal. 

Doctors of the hospital have taken to the streets putting forth various demands including the reinstatement of those doctors fired for what they claim no apparent reason, giving permanent status to contracted hospital employees as per the labour act, increment in staffer's salary with time and the release of salary within seven days of the last month when salary is released among others. 

As a result, the hospital has halted all its services except for emergency, affecting patients visiting the hospital and the students of the college. 

Secretary of the struggle committee Tara Koirala said they had to resort to the protest as their 'genuine' demands were not heard despite a week's time they gave to the hospital administration for the same. 

On the other hand, Chief Executive Officer of the college Santosh Khanal said their call to the agitating party to give them three week's time to consider addressing their demands was largely ignored. "Instead they resorted to the protest," he said. 

He however said the hospital management is committed to resolving the problem through dialogue. RSS