Govt, Agitating Nurses Sign Deal to Ensure Minimum Monthly Salary of Rs 34,730

Agitating nurses have decided to withdraw their protest after reaching an agreement with the government for a pay hike.

The state-run news agency RSS reported that government officials and representatives of the nurses signed the deal on Saturday following talks held at the Ministry of Health and Population.

Heath Ministry’s Spokesperson Dr Prakash Budhathoki confirmed that the nurses will withdraw their protest programmes from Sunday after the government agreed to address their demands.

As per the agreement, private medical colleges and large private hospitals will pay nurses a minimum monthly salary of Rs 34,730, equivalent to that of fifth-level government employees, effective from the month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) .

For the time being, private hospitals will have to pay salary equivalent to 80 percent of the government salary scale and will be required to pay the full government scale within a month, according to RSS

Dr Budhathoki added that a task force will submit a report with recommendations within a month after studying the issue, and based on its findings, all hospitals will be required to pay nurses salaries in line with government standards, RSS further reported.

Health Minister Dr Sudha Sharma Gautam, Health Secretary Dr Bikas Devkota, Spokesperson Dr Budhathoki, and representatives of the Nursing Association of Nepal and private medical colleges attended the meeting.