Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has directed concerned authority to appoint dean at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) on the basis of eligibility and seniority as the protesting doctors halt all the services except emergency service in the hospitals across the nation on Saturday.

PM Bhattarai held discussions with Education Minister Dina Nath Sharma and TU Vice Chancellor Hira Bahadur Maharjan in an attempt to end the doctors' strike and asked them to address their demands.

Emerging from the meeting, VC Maharjan informed that they would name TUTH dean on the basis of seniority by Saturday evening.

Nepal Doctors Association had decided to halt the medical services nationwide on Saturday and Sunday as the health condition of Dr Govinda KC, who is on hunger strike at TUTH, further deteriorated on Friday.

Hospitals in Kathmandu and major towns of the country have closed down OPD services due to the strike.

It is estimated that halt of the medical services for a day affects some 0.4 million patients throughout the nation.

Doctors Association had announced the strike accusing the government of turning a deaf ear to their 'genuine' demands.

The TUTH doctors including Dr KC have been demanding that TUTH dean should be appointed on the basis of seniority and eligibility. Dr KC had started fast-unto- death on Monday.

Recently, TU Vice Chancellor Hira Bahadur Maharjan had appointed Dr Dharmakanta Baskota as acting Dean going against the decision of the TU executive council meeting that had decided to form a panel to recommend names for the post. nepalnews.com