Kathmandu, July 19

Nepal Medical Association, an umbrella organisation of medical doctors and dentists, organised a protest rally in Kathmandu, demanding that the government save Dr Govinda KC’s life.

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, health workers and general public participated in the rally taken out from Maitighar Mandala to New Baneshwor. The demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans and demanded that the concerned authorities fulfil the demands raised by Dr KC which they said were the issues of every Nepali.

The rally converged into a corner meeting at New Baneshwor. Addressing the meeting, NMA President Dr Mukti Ram Shrestha warned that it would be compelled to shut down all services in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics throughout the country for an indefinite period if the demands were not fulfilled at the earliest. He also said that the government was using force on professionals and people expressing solidarity with Dr KC.

Dr KC has been on a hunger strike since June 30, 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.