More than 200 medical doctors have picketed the Health Ministry since Monday morning putting forth various demands. The doctors said that they were compelled to picket the Ministry after the government turned its blind eye to their demands. Similarly, doctors outside the Kathmandu Valley have picketed the District Administration Office, informed Nepal Medical Association (NMA) Vice-Chairman Dr Dundiraj Paudel. NMA Chairman Mukti Shrestha said that they would intensify their protest if the government did not take concrete decision pertaining to the protest by this afternoon. “No one kills the patients intentionally,” he said, adding, “If anyone assaults the doctor and vandalises the hospital without any proof, they should also be punished.” He said that government soon formulate a law for the security of the doctors and action be taken against those involved in attacking doctors in the hospital premises. The doctors said that they would continue their indefinite agitation until the government addressed all their demands. Thousands of patients have been deprived of essential heath services due to closure of hospitals across the country. The NMA had decided to halt OPD services in all hospitals nationwide, demanding withdrawal of the September 18 Cabinet decision. Hundreds of patients have returned home without treatment. The Cabinet on September 18 had proposed a law that will require the attending physician to pay compensation for harms on patients if investigations reveal the doctor’s negligence in the treatment process. Meanwhile, the government this morning called on medical doctors to stop their protest and resume services at the earliest. सरकारसँग विभिन्न माग राख्दै आन्दोलनमा उत्रिएका चिकित्सकहरुले सोमबार बिहानैदेखि स्वास्थ्य मन्त्रालय घेरेका छन् । कडा आन्दोनकाबीच पनि सरकारले आफूहरुको माग हेल्चक्र्याइ गरेको भन्दै देशभरका चिकित्सकले मन्त्रालय घेरेका हुन् । साथै राजधानी बाहिरका जिल्लाका चिकित्सकहरुले भने सिडियो कार्यालय घेरेर बिरोध जनाइरहेको संघका उपाध्यक्ष डा. ढुन्डीराज पौडेलले बताए । आन्दोलनको सम्बन्धमा सोमबार दिउँसोसम्म सरकारले ठोस निणर्य नलिए अझै कडा आन्दोनमा उत्रिने चिकित्सक संघका अध्यक्ष डा. मुक्ति श्रेष्ठले बताए । ‘जानाजान कोही डाक्टरले बिरामी मार्दैन, छिटफुट घटना हुँदा प्रमाणबिनै डाक्टरमाथि हातपात र अस्पताल तोडफोड गर्नेलाई पनि सजाय हुनुपर्छ,’ डा. श्रेष्ठले भने । चिकित्सकहरुको सुरक्षाका लागि पनि सरकारले तत्कालै स्पष्ट कानुन बनाउनुपर्ने,अस्पतालभित्र उनीहरुमाथि हुने आक्रमण गर्नेलाई कानुनी तथा जेल सजाय हुनुपर्ने उनीहरुको माग छ । उपचारका क्रममा बिरामीको मृत्यु भएमा चिकित्सक स्वयंले मृतकका परिवारलाई क्षतिपूर्ति दिनुपर्ने निर्णय फिर्ता भने सरकारले फिर्ता लिएको छ । सबै माग पुरा नभएसम्म निर्णय नसच्याएसम्म अनिश्चितकालीन आन्दोलन जारी राख्ने उनीहरुको अडान छ । अर्कातिर आन्दोलिनका कारण ओपीडी बन्द भएसँगै अस्पताललमा बिरामी अलपत्र परिरहेका छन् । तत्काल ज्यान सक्ने बिरामीको उपचार भने नरोकिएको, उनीहरुलाई अस्पतालको इमर्जेन्सी कक्षबाट सेवा दिइरहेको चिकित्सकहरुको दाबी छ । तर, फलोअपमा आएका बिरामी अलपत्र छन् । बिरामी अस्पताल आउँदै फर्किर्दै गर्ने क्रम बढेपनि अस्पताल परिसर शुन्य हुन थालेको छ ।