Kathmandu, July 6

Nepal Medical Association today served a 72-hour ultimatum to the government to address the demands put forth by Dr Govinda KC, a senior surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, who is on a hunger strike in Jumla.

NMA said doctors would carry out their duties wearing black armbands from tomorrow to press the government to fulfil the demands of the agitating doctor.

NMA general secretary Dr Lochan Karki said the umbrella organisation of medical and dental doctors supported all the demands raised by Dr KC. Karki said doctors would continue their protest until Dr KC’s demands were fulfilled.

He said the NMA would submit a memorandum to the prime minister and health minister on Sunday. “If the demands are not fulfilled within 72 hours, we will announce stern protests,” he said.

A team led by Dr Dhundi Raj Paudel, vice-president of NMA, will be sent to Jumla to take stock of Dr KC’s health. “If the health condition of Dr KC further worsens, we will immediately rescue and bring him to Kathmandu,” Dr Karki said.

Dr KC is on his  16th hunger strike in Jumla demanding reforms in the medical education sector. His seven-point demands include removal of alterations made in the Medical Education Ordinance Replacement Bill. He has also raised the issue of delay in admission of students in Karnali Academy of Health Sciences for MBBS course.

Meanwhile, conflict victims and single women reached the KAHC in Jumla to pile pressure on the government to address Dr KC’s demands. According to Bhumesh Kafle, an aide to Dr KC, the protestors demanded that the government allow the KAHS to run the MBBS classes.