NMA ready to hold talks with govt

Kathmandu, July 7

Nepal Medical Association has said that it is ready to form a team to hold talks with the government regarding the demands raised by Dr Govinda KC, who has been staging a hunger strike in Jumla.

Dr Dhundi Raj Aryal, senior vice-chair of NMA who was sent to observe the health condition of Dr KC, said they were ready to hold talks with the government and other stakeholders regarding the issues raised by Dr KC.  “We believe that the issues can be resolved through discussion. So we request the government and other stakeholders to come forward for talks.”

Dr Aryal further said that if the government was willing to table the National Medical Education Ordinance Replacement Bill brought by the former government led by Nepali Congress they were ready to revise the decision regarding certain medical colleges.

“We are ready to hold discussion regarding issuance of licence to B&C Medical College Teaching Hospital and Research Centre and Manmohan Medical College,” Dr Aryal said.

Dr KC is staging 15th hunger strike in Jumla following the government’s preparation to table the National Medical Education Bill that had altered the ordinance replacement bill tabled by the previous government. The bill, however, was not tabled in the Parliament following the protest of the major opposition Nepali Congress.

The government registered a new health education bill yesterday.

Dr KC has forwarded a seven-point demand which also includes the issue of delay in admission of students in Karnali Academy of Health Sciences for MBBS course along with the alterations made in the Medical Education Ordinance Replacement Bill.