KATHMANDU: Activist Jyoti Ranabhat, who had been on a hunger strike demanding the implementation of various health-sector reforms, has ended her fast after reaching a 19-point agreement with the government.
Ranabhat, who is also a nurse, had been on a hunger strike since July 30. The agreement was signed by Krishna Shrestha, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Food Safety; Senior Medical Superintendent Dr. Hemanta Chandra Ojha; and Legal Officer Jaya Prakash Subedi.
Under the agreement, the Ministry of Health and Food Safety will form a task force within seven days to determine salaries, service conditions, facilities, and other benefits for nurses, midwives, and other health workers employed in government, institutional, private, community hospitals, medical colleges, and teaching institutions. The task force is expected to complete its work within six months.
The government has also agreed to amend, within 30 days, the 2072 guidelines related to the mobilization of doctors and health workers who received government scholarships.
Similarly, the Ministry of Education and Sports will make necessary arrangements to ensure scholarships for students pursuing PCL Nursing and Midwifery in line with the Health and Midwifery Strategy 2077/78–2087/88.
The agreement further states that the Ministry of Health and Food Safety, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, will request the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training within two days to determine the entrance examination schedule for admission to the PCL Nursing and Midwifery program from the upcoming academic session.
It has also been agreed that nursing processes, nursing care plans, nursing documentation and evaluation, medicine management, infection control, patient safety, adverse incident management, and routine nursing and midwifery practices will be made mandatory in all hospitals.
In addition, the Health Ministry will issue a circular to all health institutions within a week requiring audits of Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) and strict implementation of the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2075. The Nepal Nursing Council will monitor compliance with these provisions.
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