Agitating doctors at Patan Academy of Health Science (PAHS) today said they will let MBBS classes resume from Sunday. This comes after the Prime Minister’s Office formed a committee to resolve disputes at PAHS and suspended its two top officials — Vice-chancellor Sangita Bhandari and Rector Saumya Bhattarcharya — for a week. According to PAHS Regulations, office bearers of the institution get suspended after the formation of a committee to investigate charges against them.

The committee formed under Prof Shiva Kumar Rai, a National Planning Commission member, has Dr Pravin Mishra, Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population, and Suresh Man Shrestha, Secretary at the Ministry of Education, as members. The team will have to submit its report in a week.

Dr Imran Ansari, a PAHS struggle committee member, said the committee has taken the decision positively. “But we are not going to withdraw our protest programme until the VC and the rector quit,” added Ansari.

“Although we are continuing with PAHS padlocking, we will let MBBS classes continue from Sunday,” the member said.

PAHS classes have come to a halt for three weeks with MBBS students also supporting the agitation. VC Bhandari and Rector Bhattacharya have so far refused to resign even in the face of doctors’ and health workers’ two-month-long protests at the Patan Hospital, insisting they have done no harm to the institution.

source: The Kathmandu Post,6 Dec 2012