Govt. forms committee to address demands of agitating nurses

Kathmandu, Oct 19: The government has formed a 14-member committee under coordination of additional secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population, Prof Dr Sri Krishna Shrestha, to address the demand related to salary of nursing health workers.

Nurses working at different private hospitals and medical colleges across the country have launched agitation, saying they are not getting appropriate salary. 

Prime Minister Sushila Karki had on Thursday held discussion with a team comprising secretaries of the health Ministry and directed them to address the problems immediately.   

Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Bikas Devkota, shared that efforts are underway to create environment to return agitating nurses to work by holding the first meeting of the Committee today itself. 

He mentioned that a mandate has been given to the committee to submit a preliminary report within a week by incorporating the suggestions about the activities that should be carried out to resolve the problems immediately and long-term manner. 

Chief of Grievance Handling Unit of the Health Ministry, Dr Anup Banstola is the member of the committee as well as Director of the Medical Education Commission, Chief of Department of Health Services Nursing and Social Security Division, representatives of Home Ministry, Finance Ministry, Labour Ministry, Education Ministry, Nepal Nursing Council, Nursing Association of Nepal,  Medical and Dental College Association of Nepal, Association of Private Health Institution of Nepal and agitating nurses are also the members. 

Similarly, Chief of Medical Service, Education and Research Section under the Health Ministry is member-secretary of the committee. 

Nurses are in agitation demanding basic salary and services determined by the government. The basic salary of nurses is Rs 34,730 per month. (RSS)