I am proud to be a doctor in Nepal. We are not only concerned about the health of the Nepali people but also think about the future of medical education as a part of the public health movement. I am a member of the Nepal Medical Association (NMA), which played a vital role in bringing democracy to Nepal in 1990.

Everybody knows that that des-pite many challenges, Nepali doctors are providing health services to all corners of Nepal. Thanks to the hard work of doctors and other health workers, the Ministry of  Health and Population has been able to achieve remarkable reductions in maternal death and neo-natal death.  Nepali doctors have not only delivered health services but have also given their blood to save mothers or paid for drugs with their money for patients who can’t afford them. Providing voluntary services in many unreachable areas, Nepali doctors have made a good name for themselves and I am certain they will continue to do so in coming days.

On strike

Recently, doctors fought for the health of future generations. Doctors want to create a space where future doctors can get a good opportunity to learn medical science and later on, deliver services to the people. Doctors are fighting to get rid of the presence of the medical ‘mafia’. In the past few years, this mafia has become so powerful that they can buy political leaders and thereby influence and implement wrong policies.

Doctors, unlike some political parties, do not destroy property by burning vehicles or beat up those who do not agree with them. Doctors conducted their protest peacefully, raising their voices with dignity and trying to make certain that the health of the Nepali people did not suffer because of the strike.

A better protest

But it seems that for some time, patients who visited government hospitals and medical colleges were not able to get health services because doctors had closed down all services except for emergency. Patients thus were forced to go to private hospitals or clinics for treatment. This, of course, was sad as vulnerable sections of society were not able to get treatment. When people came to know that hospitals were not operating, those in the Tarai area with the means went to India but those without suffered in silence. The people raised their concerns and requested that doctors revisit their decision to stop the delivery of health services.

Nonetheless, people still have very high regard for the medical community and their commitment to better medical education in Nepal. But was it necessary to stop providing services to people who are in dire need of attention for the movement to succeed?

Since we doctors have great respect for the Supreme Court, we followed the spirit of its order, providing medical services In Tundikhel. Doctors examined patients and wrote prescriptions. But truthfully, this wasn’t enough for patients who needed surgery or privacy to be examined.

Doctors are not like petrol businessmen who strike because they are not allowed to contaminate petrol. Doctors are not big businessmen who strike because they do not want fair business practices. Doctors think about the health and life of the people. The people need assurances that no one will suffer again because of future strikes. Can we provide this assurance?

Dr Uprety is a nutrition expert