KATHMANDU: Medical activist and senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC's hunger strike, his 16th, has entered its 23rd day today. Over twenty days of fast-unto-death has taken a toll on the doctor's health, which has been deteriorating of late.

Meanwhile, the government is all set to pass the bill today ignoring Dr KC's demand to correct the revised bill. Minister of Education, Science and Technology Giri Raj Mani Pokharel had presented the National Medical Education Bill in the National Assembly on January 28 despite obstruction of proceedings in the Upper House and amid sloganeering in the well by main opposition Nepali Congress lawmakers.

On January 25, the House of Representatives had passed the bill despite House obstruction by NC lawmakers. Senior Orthopaedic

Surgeon Dr Govinda KC has been staging hunger strike demanding that the government incorporate all the points of the nine-point agreement he had signed with the government on July 26 which ended his 27-day-long 15th fast-unto-death.

NA Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina postponed the House meeting till January 31 to give lawmakers a time-frame of 72 hours to register their amendments to the bill.

The government is yet to initiate dialogue with the agitating doctor.

Amendment proposals registered

Two individual amendment proposals and one joint proposal has been registered on the National Medical Education Bill demanding absolute implementation of the agreement reached between the government and Dr KC at the end of his last hunger-strike.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Radheshyam Adhikari and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal lawmaker Brijesh Chandra Lal have registered individual amendments on the bill passed by HoR on January 25. Likewise, a joint amendment proposal has been filed by NC lawmakers Prakash Panta, Sarita Prasain and Badri Prasad Pandey.