Kathmandu. KATHMANDU — The Ministry of Health and Food and Hygiene is preparing to reactivate the ‘Health Workers and Health Institutions Security Coordination Committee’ which has been defunct for long to control the increasing attacks on health workers and vandalism in health facilities.

According to the Ministry, the committee which has been formed as per the ‘Clause 5’ of the Act Related to Security of Health Workers and Health Institutions 2066 BS has been re-run on a regular basis and processes have been forwarded to mobilize them effectively to resolve the problems related to security of health workers and health institutions.

The decision to reactivate the committee was taken following the increasing incidents of attacks on health workers and vandalism in hospitals in recent period.

According to the Act, the committee has the authority to approve and implement plans and programmes related to the security of health workers and health institutions, coordinate with the concerned bodies including the Ministry of Home Affairs, recommend the government of Nepal regarding security policy, investigate or cause to be conducted in incidents of adverse impact on security and cooperate in investigation. The committee will also be responsible for implementing the compensation provisions as per the court’s decision.

As per the Act, the chairperson of the committee will be a twelfth-level employee of the ministry designated by the secretary of the ministry and the vice-chairperson will be the head of the concerned division. The members include representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal Medical Council, Nepal Nursing Council, Nepal Medical Association, Nepal Health Technicians Association, Nepal Ayurveda Doctors Association, Nepal Nursing Association and Association of Private Health Institutes of Nepal. There will also be a Member-Secretary of the Gazetted Second Class or equivalent officer designated by the Ministry.

At a time when the demand for effective implementation of the legal provisions to ensure the safety of health workers has intensified after the recent attack on doctors at Narayani Hospital, the Ministry is preparing to take necessary policy decisions by making the committee inactive.