The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday said it was seriously concerned about attacks and abuse on doctors and health workers involved in treating patients and vandalism in health institutions.

In a statement, the constitutional body requested those involved in such incidents to refrain from attacking doctors and create an environment for seamless delivery of health services.

Issuing a statement, Tikaram Pokharel, the spokesperson of the commission, said that serious attention of the commission has been drawn to the attacks and abuses on doctors working in various hospitals in Kaski, Makwanpur, Lamjung and Chitwan districts and vandalism in health institutions. The statement further said it was also concerned about the impact on the health of citizens due to the strike by doctors.

The commission further said it is continuously monitoring the incidents of attacks on doctors and the problems faced by patients due to the situation.

It further said the patients have been deprived of getting treatment services after doctors launched agitation by closing all services except emergency on September 26 and 27, demanding peace and security and legal action against those involved in the incident.

“Health workers’ move to take to the streets by closing the health services not only impacts the basic rights of citizens to receive health care but also leads to a danger of collapsing of the health institutions,” reads the statement.

The commission said the act of attacking health institutions and the entire health sector would be against democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

"Therefore, the commission draws the attention of the government, health workers and all concerned parties to ensure the right of citizens to health care, not to attack and mistreat health workers under any pretext, not to vandalise and attack sensitive places like health institutions, not to protest by shutting down health services, and to ensure the right of citizens to health care," the commission said.