Doctors' strike spreads in Nepal

Many are having to wait for treatment

A strike by doctors in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, has spread to clinics and hospitals across the country, medics say.

Medical staff began the industrial action on Wednesday, demanding improved security at work.

They say they have been subjected to violence and threats from relatives of patients who accuse them of negligence.

A doctors' spokesman said the strike would continue until there was a positive response from the government.

"The government has not even bothered to call us for talks and has not taken us seriously," Dr Kedar Narsingh of the Nepal Medical Association told the Associated Press news agency.

"We will continue our protest until the government responds positively."

However, emergency services in Nepal have remained open.

Allegations of negligence in hospitals and attacks on doctors have been relatively common in recent months.

Correspondents say that in the most recent incident last weekend, the family of a patient who died after kidney surgery threatened doctors at a hospital in Kathmandu.

Doctors say that promises by the government to provide better security after a similar strike over the same issue two years ago have not been honoured.