Kathmandu, May 21

Diki Sherpa, who it was said had ended her hunger strike yesterday after signing an agreement, denied she had ended the strike.

She said she did not know about the agreement as she was in an unconscious state when the agreement was signed.

Sherpa and Jita Baral have been staging hunger strike for the last 12 days. The doctors involved in their check-up said the health condition of both the nurses was critical.

In the presence of Nursing Association of Nepal, Sherpa had ended her hunger strike yesterday, but now she has taken a U-turn, claiming that she has been cheated.

According to Seema Pradhan, a nurse, Sherpa has been kept in the intensive care unit of Shahid Dharma Bhakta National Transplant Centre.

“No one is allowed to visit Sherpa as her health condition is critical,” Pradhan shared.

Nurses at Shahid Dharma Bhakta National Transplant Centre launched protest programmes after the hospital announced vacancies for 100 new nurses. They are demanding permanent status at the hospital on the basis of internal exams.

Other demands of the agitating nurses include providing salary on time,  ensuring participation of old staffers in trainings, conferences and seminars, providing all the facilities given to a government nurse, and scrapping the system of hiring nurses on contract basis.

Baral said she would not end her hunger strike until and unless her demands were addressed.