Protest from employees has affected regular services of Manipal Hospital of Pokhara.
Protest organized by Workers Union Coordination Committee represeting unions of Nepali Congress, CPN UML and Maiost jointly has been affecting OPD service of hospital since last 25 days. Unions have been organising sit-in protest program till 1 pm everyday.
Unions have presented various demands including timely salary. They complained that the administration didn’t implemented agreement made in 2010. Employees also demanded for services like maternity leave, overtime bonus and salary increase and social security fund.
Meanwhile the regular protest has severely hampered regular medical service flow affecting hundreds of patients that seek service at hospital. OPD service that used to start at 8:30 am is halted till 1:00 pm which has particularly affected people coming from neighbouring districts of Kaski. Among those some patients have waited in line till 1 pm while most of them are compelled to go to other hospitals or return back home without treatement.
Naran Bastola, service seeker from Pokhara-22, Pumdibhumdi complained that he had stayed for 5 hours outside of hospital with his patient. He said, “I came to hospital for treatment of my wife at 8 am in the morning but i have told that i wont get ticket till 1 pm. I dont even know if my wife will get any treatment.” He added that nobody should obstruct service of hospital and trouble innocent patients. Bastola also requested administration to fulfill legit demands of employees and make agreement sooner.
Union has furter warned administration that they will completely halt OPD service if theie demands are not meet by tomorrow. The protest has not only deprived hundreds of patients from getting treatment but also stopped regular classed of medical students at Manipal College since 4 months.
Hospital dministration, on the other hand, has claimed that the employees are provided remuneration and benefits as per Labour Act. Bhanu Bhardwaj, Admin head of hospital said that the legal demands of employees are already fulfiled. He added that the administration is open to talks and is willing to solve the employees problems through negotiation. Bhardwaj further requested unions to not deprive patients from their right to great treatment and students right to get education.
The duel between admin and employees however has affected future of more than 700 students studying at Manipal and deny rights of hundreds of patient that come to hospital to get regular treatment.
