PM urges Dr KC to end hunger strike

Kathmandu, July 8

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today urged Dr Govinda KC to end hunger strike and come forward for dialogue.

Dr KC, senior orthopaedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, has been on hunger strike in Jumla since June 30, demanding that the government bring the National Medical Education Bill incorporate recommendations of the Kedar Bhakta Mathema-led commission.

According to officials of Nepal Medical Association and Nepal Medical Council who submitted a memorandum to the prime minister today, PM Oli said the government was ready to hold talks with Dr KC, if he ended his hunger strike and came forward for dialogue.

NMA General Secretary Lochan Karki told THT that the PM was positive about discussing  issues raised by Dr KC. Karki also said that the PM was concerned about whether the demands made by Dr KC were an outcome of scientific research or political interest.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokhrel said that the government was committed to improving the quality of medical education in the country. “The government is ready to hold talks with Dr KC and other stakeholders,” he said.

Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sher Bahadur Tamang said that the government had introduced the bill as per the suggestion of Mathema-led commission and National Medical Education Ordinance and thus there was no point in Dr KC continuing his hunger strike. “Still, if Dr KC has any dissatisfaction with the bill, we urge him to come forward for dialogue,” he added

NMA Senior Vice-chairman Dr Dhundi Raj Aryal yesterday had said that they were ready to hold talks with government.

Dr KC is staging 15th hunger strike in Jumla following the government’s preparation to table the National Medical Education Bill that had altered the ordinance replacement bill tabled by the previous government. The government registered a new health education bill few days ago after the major opposition Nepali Congress did not allow tabling of the National Medical Education Bill.