Manipal Hospital reopens as docs settle for 15% pay hike
MANOJ ADHIKARI
POKHARA, Aug 11: The striking doctors at Manipal Teaching Hospital reached a three-point agreement with the hospital management leading to resumption of all services at the hospital. The doctors had been on strike since July 29, demanding an increment and restructuring of their salaries.
In a five-hour meeting that lasted till late Friday night, the hospital management agreed to restructure the salaries of the doctors.
As per the new structures, monthly remuneration comprises of 40 percent basic salary and 60 percent allowances compared to 24 and 76 percent respectively, earlier.
In response to the management´s readiness to restructure their salaries, the doctors, who were demanding a 30 percent hike in salary, settled for an increment of 15 percent in their pay scales.
“We showed flexibility after the management agreed to increase the basic salary to 40 percent from 24 per cent,” Dr Dipak Koirala, coordinator of All Nepal Progressive Health Workers´ Association, said.
“The restructuring of salary is a major achievement for us.”
The doctors had been refusing to call off their strike in the earlier negotiations even though the management agreed to hike their salaries by 12 per cent. According to Dr Koirala, a 12 percent increment would have raised the salaries of junior and senior doctors by Rs 8,500 and Rs 7,500 respectively. Now, with a 15 per cent hike and a new salary structure, salary of every doctor has been increased by at least Rs 10,000.
All services except the emergency were halted due to the doctors´ strike. The talks between the management and the doctors failed at least twice until the matter was settled on Friday.
Early last week, the District Administration Office (DAO) of Kaski had unlocked the doors padlocked by the agitating doctors with the help of police. But services could not resume as doctors refused to join their duties.
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
Please give your full name while posting your comments. This is not to stifle the free flow of comments but your full name will enable us to print the comments in our newspaper.
Manipal Hospital Reopens As Docs Settle For 15% Pay Hike
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
Copyright © Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. 2008-10.