KATHMANDU: The government has extended by one month the deadline for the task force formed to recommend benefits for nurses equivalent to those of government employees.
According to Health Ministry Spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, the decision to extend the task force’s tenure follows the agreement reached between the government and protesting nurses earlier this year.
He said the team needed more time to conduct a detailed study and prepare a concrete plan to resolve issues related to the service facilities of nurses and other medical staff. The new deadline has been set for December 1.
“The task force has been working to implement the agreed provisions related to nurses’ service facilities,” Dr. Budhathoki said. “Once the report is submitted, the revised service and benefit structure will come into effect.”
The government had formed a 14-member task force led by Additional Secretary Dr. Shreekrishna Shrestha to study and recommend improvements in nurses’ salaries and benefits.
According to Dr. Shrestha, the task force is categorizing hospitals based on their capacity and financial strength to determine appropriate pay scales. “We are including both immediate and long-term measures in our report,” he said, adding that “tasks that can be implemented right away are being prioritized.”
He further shared that Health Minister Om Prakash Aryal has expressed his readiness to make necessary legal changes through a bill if required to ensure nurses receive the promised facilities. “The Minister has assured that nurses’ benefits will be finalized, even if it requires legislative amendments,” Dr. Shrestha added.
As per the agreement reached between the government and the nursing representatives, large hospitals and private medical colleges will start paying nurses salaries equivalent to the fifth level of government employees beginning from mid-Kartik.
Other private and community hospitals, however, will provide around 80 percent of the benefits equivalent to the fifth level.
The task force was formed after a series of protests by nurses demanding equal pay, improved working conditions, and recognition of their contribution to the healthcare system. The protests had prompted the government to negotiate and sign a formal agreement committing to address their grievances through a structured reform plan.
The extension is expected to allow the task force to complete a thorough assessment before submitting its final report, which will pave the way for uniform implementation of the new salary structure across both public and private healthcare institutions.
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