Doctors on strike, all non-emergency services suspended

Kathmandu – Doctors once again, have put down their pen to get to the streets for a strike. Doctors across Nepal have suspended non-emergency medical services in protest against recent Consumer Court verdicts that imposed significant penalties on hospitals and physicians for medical negligence. The Nepal Medical Association (NMA), the professional umbrella body of doctors, announced the protest following an emergency meeting of its executive committee on July 4.
The NMA contends that the court’s rulings have created a hostile and demoralizing environment for healthcare professionals, undermining their ability to perform their duties without fear of severe financial penalties. As part of the protest, doctors held one-hour sit-ins at hospitals nationwide on Sunday, followed by a full boycott of non-emergency services beginning Monday. Emergency care remains operational.
This is the second time in two months that the NMA has called for a halt to non-emergency medical services. In April, a similar protest targeted private medical colleges over stipend disparities.
Consumer rights advocates have criticized the protest, arguing that depriving patients of treatment violates constitutional rights and may itself constitute a criminal offense under Nepal’s penal code. Critics have also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, pointing to an ongoing case in the Consumer Court.
Former officials from the Nepal Medical Council have voiced concern over the ethical implications of denying patients care as a form of protest. They argue that patients have a right to legal recourse in cases of medical negligence and that doctors dissatisfied with court decisions should pursue appeals through the judicial system rather than resorting to service disruptions.
While the NMA defends its actions as necessary to protect medical professionals, the protest has reignited debate over accountability in Nepal’s healthcare sector and the balance between legal oversight and clinical autonomy.