Resident doctors and medical officers have resorted to agitation demanding COVID risk allowance at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, from today.

Medical officers are seeking salary on a par with the eighth level and COVID risk allowance and residential doctors are demanding risk allowance.

Agitating doctors and medical officers picketed the office of the vice-chancellor and warned of a stir boycotting their duty at the emergency ward today. A medical officer receives salary from Rs 55,000 to Rs 60,000 at other hospital while one gets just Rs 34,500 at the BPKIHS.

Dr Iden Kafle complained that they were not provided with COVID risk allowance. “The government has fixed the salary of the eighth level. But, we are paid far less than what the government has fixed,” said Dr Kafle. He said their repeated pleas to fulfil their demands had gone unheeded.

Meanwhile, residential doctors boycotted their work five days ago saying that they had not been provided risk allowance. BPKIHS Junior Resident Welfare Society Nepal Vicechair Dr Padam Nepali said they were forced to agitate as they were not provided risk allowance till date. “We have been drawing the management’s attention for the past six months towards the problem, but to no avail,” said Dr Nepali. He warned of stern protest if their demand was not met.

A version of this article appears in print on January 19, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.