Security of the Health Workers and Health Organizations Act, 2009

What does it do?

• No one may, over a treatment-related dispute, set fire to or vandalise a health facility, beat or injure health workers or staff, lock up or blockade a facility, obstruct the treatment of patients, or assault, threaten, abuse or humiliate health workers. A health worker or facility facing such acts may ask the local administration for security, which must provide it immediately; standing security can be arranged where services would otherwise be disrupted.उपचारसम्बन्धी विषयलाई लिएर कसैले पनि स्वास्थ्य संस्थामा आगजनी वा तोडफोड गर्न, स्वास्थ्यकर्मी वा कर्मचारीलाई कुटपिट गर्न वा चोट पुर्‍याउन, स्वास्थ्य संस्थामा तालाबन्दी वा घेराउ गर्न, बिरामीको उपचारमा बाधा पुर्‍याउन, वा स्वास्थ्यकर्मीलाई हातपात, धम्की, गालीगलौज वा अपमानजनक व्यवहार गर्न पाउँदैन। यस्तो अवस्थामा स्वास्थ्यकर्मी वा संस्थाले स्थानीय प्रशासनसँग सुरक्षा माग्न सक्छन् र प्रशासनले तुरुन्त सुरक्षा दिनुपर्छ; सेवा अवरुद्ध हुने ठाउँमा स्थायी सुरक्षाको व्यवस्था गर्न सकिन्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated text Sections 3–4, PDF pp. 2–3
• A Health Worker and Health Institution Security Coordination Committee in the health ministry, including representatives of the home ministry and the Nepal Medical Council, coordinates security. Health workers and facilities that register with the committee and pay a fee are covered by a security fund, from which the committee pays reasonable costs of defending compensation cases filed against them — except where harm resulted from bad faith or gross negligence.स्वास्थ्य मन्त्रालयमा गृह मन्त्रालय र नेपाल मेडिकल काउन्सिलका प्रतिनिधिसमेत रहने स्वास्थ्यकर्मी तथा स्वास्थ्य संस्था सुरक्षा समन्वय समितिले सुरक्षासम्बन्धी समन्वय गर्छ। समितिमा नाम दर्ता गरी दस्तुर बुझाउने स्वास्थ्यकर्मी र संस्था सुरक्षा कोषमा समेटिन्छन्, र तिनीमाथि क्षतिपूर्ति माग गरी दायर मुद्दाको प्रतिरक्षामा लाग्ने मनासिब खर्च समितिले कोषबाट बेहोर्छ — तर बदनियत वा गम्भीर लापरबाहीबाट भएको हानिमा यो सुविधा पाइँदैन। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated text Sections 5–14, PDF pp. 3–7
• Since a 2079 amendment, arson at a health facility is punishable by two to five years in prison or a fine of Rs 200,000–500,000 or both; vandalism or beating health workers by up to three years or Rs 300,000 or both; and lockouts, obstruction or harassment by up to one year or Rs 100,000 or both. Offenders must also pay compensation for the damage. Complaints must be filed within 35 days; the District Court hears serious cases and the Chief District Officer the lesser ones, and the Government of Nepal is the plaintiff.२०७९ को संशोधनपछि स्वास्थ्य संस्थामा आगजनी गरेमा दुईदेखि पाँच वर्षसम्म कैद वा दुईदेखि पाँच लाख रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना वा दुवै; तोडफोड वा स्वास्थ्यकर्मीलाई कुटपिट गरेमा तीन वर्षसम्म कैद वा तीन लाख रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना वा दुवै; र तालाबन्दी, उपचारमा बाधा वा दुर्व्यवहार गरेमा एक वर्षसम्म कैद वा एक लाख रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना वा दुवै सजाय हुन्छ। कसूरदारले क्षतिपूर्ति पनि तिर्नुपर्छ। कसूर भएको ३५ दिनभित्र उजुरी दिनुपर्छ; गम्भीर मुद्दा जिल्ला अदालत र अन्य प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारीले हेर्छन्, र नेपाल सरकार वादी हुन्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated text Sections 15–17ख, PDF pp. 7–9

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

None documented in the official reports we have reviewed so far.

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.

Regulations and rules made under it

• स्वास्थ्यकर्मी तथा स्वास्थ्य संस्थाको सुरक्षा सम्बन्धी नियमावली, २०६९ In force