The hospital administration offices, which had remained padlocked since February 28, were unlocked on Wednesday after the Supreme Court Tuesday issued a stay order in the name of incoming Executive Director Dr Laxmi Narayan Singh, outgoing Executive Director Dr Bhakta Man Shrestha and the hospital management committee, directing them to resume all services at the hospital within 24 hours. Doctors returned to their duties Thursday morning.[break]
Meanwhile, a 10-member committee has been formed under Minister of State for Health and Population Dharmashila Chapagain to resolve the dispute over the post of executive director. The committee -- which also includes the district chiefs of the three main political parties, three doctors from the hospital and three ministry representatives -- will submit its report within a week with recommendations for resolution of the issue.
All Nepal Health Workers Association and All Nepal Progressive People´s Health Workers Association--the latter close to the UCPN (Maoist)-- had padlocked the hospital administration on February 28 after Dr Singh was appointed executive director to succeed Dr Bhakta Man Shrestha, who is close to the Maoists. Doctors and other hospital staffers had then left for Kathmandu last Thursday after staffers close to the Maoists failed to unlock the administration offices.
The hospital doesn´t have adequate stocks of cotton, bandages, oxygen and other essential materials as the suppliers have stopped the supply flow for lack of payment due to the leadership dispute.
Dr Shrestha´s three-year tenure as executive director expired in September, 2010 but he wanted a reappointment. However, Dr Singh, who is close to the Nepali Congress, was appointed to the post instead. Dr Shrestha has been claiming that the hospital management committee had made procedural mistakes while appointing Dr Singh, and the associations had padlocked the administration offices in support of Dr Shrestha´s claim.
Related story
Purbanchal Cancer Hospital comes into operation in Birtamod
