Kathmandu, July 26

Police arrested 15 doctors of the Maharajgunj-based TU Teaching Hospital after they took out a rally from the hospital premises and tried to advance towards Baluwatar in the support of Dr Govinda KC.

Riot cops intervened in the rally as the doctors, health workers and staff of the hospital tried to parade a ‘symbolic corpse’ to suggest the death of ‘many people’ and pressure the government to fulfil the demands raised by Dr KC. There was also a brief clash between the cops and demonstrators, but no one was injured. The doctors were released later.

Meanwhile, Nepal Medical Association, an umbrella organisation of medical doctors and dentists, said mass hungers strike would be continued in Basantapur, TUTH and its district-based offices across the country to show solidarity with Dr KC’s peaceful movement.  It demanded that the government and Dr KC’s talk teams hold meaningful dialogue to break the agitating doctor’s fast-unto-death and save his life.

“If the government does not address Dr KC’s demands, we will halt all services except emergency, in all health institutions from tomorrow,” it warned. Meanwhile, NMA has urged health institutions to enforce the strike in case of failure of talks between the government and Dr KC’s teams to solve the problem.