Dr KC’s hunger strike to continue

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 9

A meeting held between the government talks team and those representing senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC ended without reaching any conclusion today. As no agreement was reached, Dr KC will continue his fast-unto-death.

“The government’s team stepped back from the agreements that we had reached yesterday. The homework which the government needed to do was not done,” said Jeevan Chhetri, one of the team members from Dr KC’s talk team.

“We waited the whole day for the meeting, but the meeting began only in the evening. Moreover, Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel couldn’t be contacted.

“All this shows how the government has been neglecting demands made by Dr KC, as well as his deteriorating health,” Chhetri added.

As the meeting didn’t reach any conclusion, Dr KC’s team has decided to continue protests from tomorrow.

Answering mediapersons’ queries during a press conference organised in the hospital, Chhettri said, “We are not very optimistic about the next meeting with the government, but if we are called we will go.”

Dr KC has been staging a fast-unto-death demanding reforms in the medical education sector. He had launched a hunger strike in Chandannath Municipality of Jumla district on September 14.

After Dr KC’s health deteriorated, he was airlifted to Kathmandu. He has been continuing his peaceful protest at Maharajgunj-based Tribuvan University Teaching Hospital.

It has already been 26 days since Dr KC began his hunger strike demanding that the government launch MBBS programme at Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, expand the coverage of polymerase chain reaction tests to diagnose COVID-19, investigate corruption in the health sector, end the ongoing prohibitory orders imposed in different districts and make the use of face masks and physical distancing mandatory in public life.

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