KATHMANDU: The government has decided to hold talks with Prof Dr Govinda KC, who has been staging fast-unto-death for 11 days, demanding implementation of the Kedar Bhakta Mathema report on reforms in Nepal's medical education, and impeachment against Lokman Singh Karki, chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, on charge of irregularities.

A Cabinet meeting this evening formed a three-member team to negotiate with the veteran orthopaedic surgeon, who has staged hunger strike for the eighth time.

Deputy Prime Minister CP Mainali told THT Online the team will take up its assigned job tomorrow morning.

Dr KC's all demands but the political ones can be addressed, according to him.

The team includes secretaries from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.

Dr KC's health condition has been deteriorating.

Meanwhile, President Bidya Devi Bhandari also expressed her concern over demands of the fasting doctor in a meeting with Minister for Health Ram Janam Chaudhary.

Putting forth major four demands, Dr KC on July 10 had begun his hunger strike at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

KC has accused Karki of protecting various corrupt people in the medical education sector and argued that the CIAA chief breached his jurisdiction as he interfered in the Kathmandu University.

He has also demanded impeachment motion against CIAA Commissioner Raj Narayan Pathak, arguing that he was also involved in activities against dignity of his position, in promoting irregularities in the medical education sector.

Another demand of Dr KC includes improvement in a draft of the Medical Education Act with objectives to establish at least a medical college in all provinces, to make education at the government medical colleges completely free and to halt affiliations to new colleges within Kathmandu Valley for next 10 years.

Likewise, he demanded that the government withdraw a bill on establishing an academy in the Capital which is currently under discussion at the Parliament. Dr KC argued that the bill was against a report of the high-level committee formed to draft new health education policy in the country, headed by educationist Prof Kedar Bhakta Mathema.

Likewise, he demanded implementation of the past agreements signed with him.

Whereas Dr KC enjoys a good support from social media users and members of the public, private medical colleges have been protesting his strike claiming he was against promotion of private medical colleges in Nepal.

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