Kathmandu, October 14

Senior orthopaedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital Govinda KC has warned of fresh hunger strike from October 30 if the government fails to amend the Medical Education Act as per the agreements reached with him.

Speaking during a press meet organised in the Capital today, KC has given an ultimatum till October 25 to the government to fulfil his demands.

“The government should amend the Medical Education Act as per the agreements reached on 26 July 2018. If it fails then fresh protests will be launched,” he said.

“There is no alternative to launching a fresh protest as the achievements made till now need to be institutionalised,” he added.

Putting forth his six-point demand, KC said that appointment of university officials should be made on the basis

of merit and seniority. He had demanded that the government stop the ongoing process of appointment of university officials and has demanded that appointments be made as per the report submitted by the team led by Parasar Koirala, which mentions guidelines on the appointment of university officials.

He has also demanded that the government file fraud cases against the medical colleges that have taken exorbitant

fees from medical students. He has sought stern action against them.

“Extra money taken from students should be immediately returned to them,” KC said.

He has demanded that the report submitted by the sub-committee formed to investigate allegations against medical colleges for charging extra fees from students be scrapped immediately.

Parliamentary Education and Health Committee had formed a sub-committee to investigate all 21 medical colleges across the country. The committee however had recommended that the seats and tuition fees of medical colleges be increased.

Experts should be appointed in the commissions working on transitional justice, he demanded. KC has also demanded that MBBS programme be started in Karnali Academy of Health Sciences. He also demanded that the procedure for establishment of government medical colleges in provinces 2 and 4 and in Doti/Dadeldhura, Udaypur, Illam/Panchthar be taken forward.

He also demanded that the treatment cost of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his health condition be made public. “The prime minister should be made accountable if he has tarnished the image of the rule of law and the judiciary,” he said.

Dr KC who retired today (on the ground of age limit) from the hospital after 26 years of service, however, didn’t specify the venue for his upcoming protest. “The venue could be anywhere in the country,” he said.