MP Toshima Karki Draws Government's Attention to Healthcare Worker Issues

Kathmandu. Rastriya Swatantra Party MP Dr. Toshima Karki has drawn the government's attention to solving the problems of healthcare workers and developing their careers. Speaking at a meeting of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee on Thursday, MP Karki criticized the government regarding the exploitation of labor and low facilities for resident (intern) doctors. Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Karki said that although the problem of manpower shortage has been talked about for years, the government has failed in a concrete strategy to bring doctors to rural areas. She emphasized that improving the health sector is not possible only by the federal government and stressed the need for coordination among all three tiers of government. She stated that the condition of district hospitals and basic hospitals under the province is extremely dire. She said that on one hand, the government claims to encourage health workers, but on the other hand, the situation where doctors have to go on a hunger strike is a tragedy for the health sector itself. MP Karki objected that the task force formed by the Ministry of Education had submitted its report 80 days ago, but it has not been implemented. Informing that the report clearly recommended providing 50 percent of the subsistence allowance received by eighth-level doctors to intern doctors, she demanded that the recommendation be implemented immediately. Karki said, 'The situation where doctors at the beginning of their careers are deprived of adequate subsistence allowance, prescribed duty hours, and minimum basic needs is mocking the entire health sector.' Adding to the doctors' problems, she said, 'Working without food and sleep is seriously affecting their learning and work efficiency.' She urged the ministry and concerned bodies to be serious on such sensitive issues, stating that health workers are suffering due to the government forming task forces but not implementing their suggestions.