Seven medical officers at Covid-19 Special Hospital in Butwal, Rupandehi, have tendered their resignations after they did not get the promised risk allowance for months.

The doctors deployed for the treatment of Covid-19 patients put in their papers on Wednesday.

Five of the doctors have not received the risk allowance since July while two others have not received the amount since April.

“How long can we work without receiving the allowance? The authority assured us the allowance but we never got them,” said one of the doctors.

According to him, they had earlier submitted an application to the authorities concerned asking for the risk allowance.

Dr Rajendra Prasad Khanal, the medical superintendent at Lumbini Provincial Hospital, said the medical officers deployed at the Covid-19 Special Hospital halted their works even though the provincial hospital had assured to provide them their due allowance after Tihar.

According to Khanal, the provincial hospital had talked to the provincial Social Development Minister Sudarshan Baral after the doctors had submitted the application a few days ago.

“We have managed their meals and hotel expenses for now. We will provide them with the allowance immediately after the social development ministry releases the fund,” said Khanal.

The provincial government had announced risk allowance for the health workers deployed at Covid-19 special hospitals.

Baral said the ministry had sent a written commitment to provide the allowance immediately after it was informed about the doctors’ protest.

“The doctors should not halt their work in this situation. They should return to work soon,” he said.

The Covid-19 Special Hospital at Butwal Thread Industry has a total of 107 staff including seven doctors and six health assistants. The 54-bed hospital was set up in April with an objective to provide treatment for the coronavirus patients of Rupandehi, Nawalparasi (West), Kapilvastu, Palpa, Gulmi and Arghakhanchi districts. Currently, 34 Covid-19 patients are receiving treatment there.