Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: In a bold escalation of protest, the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has suspended all non-emergency medical services across the country today, citing serious concerns over the jurisdiction of the Consumer Court in recent medical negligence verdicts.
The NMA condemned the recent court rulings, saying they represent unlawful interference in the Nepal Medical Council’s (NMC) statutory authority to regulate medical practice and handle professional misconduct cases. It said the Consumer Court’s decisions have undermined medical autonomy, raising alarm within the national healthcare community.
The association had earlier instructed doctors and healthcare workers nationwide to wear black armbands starting from Asar 17 (July 1) as a symbolic protest. With no official response or commitment to their demands, the NMA today enforced a countrywide halt of all medical services except for emergency care.
The protest follows a series of court decisions in which the Consumer Court ordered heavy compensation payments in cases of alleged medical negligence. In one of the most notable rulings, Om Hospital was directed to pay NPR 5.07 million, Himal Hospital and involved doctors were ordered to pay NPR 14.5 million, and Grande City Hospital along with its treating physicians were held liable for NPR 5.7 million in damages to patients’ families.
The NMA is demanding a legal amendment to restrict the authority to adjudicate medical malpractice cases solely to the Nepal Medical Council, not civil or consumer courts. The association has also warned of more stringent protests, including indefinite service disruptions, if their concerns are not addressed urgently by the government.
The association argues that without such legal clarity, Nepal’s doctors are at constant risk of criminalization of professional decisions, discouraging quality healthcare service, especially in critical and high-risk medical situations.
The escalating standoff between the medical fraternity and the judiciary is now drawing serious attention from policymakers, patients’ rights activists, and the broader healthcare ecosystem, with growing concern over its potential impact on public health services, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The Ministry of Health and Population has yet to issue a formal response to the nationwide disruption or the doctors’ demands.
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