Kathmandu, October 6

Senior orthopaedic surgeon of Tribuvan University Teaching Hospital Dr Govinda KC has threatened to launch fresh hunger strike any time soon if the government does not implement the agreement reached with him earlier.

Issuing a press release, Dr KC decried the government’s recent decision to provide licence to a medical college to run hospital.

The Ministry of Health has recently issued licence to National Medical College to run a 300-bed hospital.

Dr KC, however, has refrained from naming the college in the press release. Instead, he said, “The so-called college is a mere building without infrastructure required for a hospital. We cannot allow the college to run a hospital.”

The press release stated that it was sad that the government had not been able to run MBBS classes in Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, but issued licence to a new medical college in the valley.

Dr KC has also demanded that the government refrain from fixing fee structures of medical colleges as Medical Education Committee would decide on the matter. Dr KC claimed that the government was preparing to hike fee of medical colleges, according to the press release.

The Medical Education Committee, however, is yet to be formed.

Similarly, Dr KC said political appointment of office bearers at the Institute of Medicine would not be acceptable.

Dr KC has demanded that Kathmandu University withdraw the fee hike for MBBS and BDS courses.

Dr KC has staged hunger strikes for 15 times in the past demanding reforms in the medical education sector. On July 26, the government had signed a nine-point agreement with Dr KC to end the latter’s 15th hunger strike.

The government had agreed to address all his demands, including amendment to the National Medical Education Bill, which was registered in the House of Representatives. But the budget session of the Parliament was prorogued without even holding a discussion on the bill.

Organising a press meet on September 28, Dr KC had demanded resignation of Minister of Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel for failing to implement the agreement.