KATHMANDU: Medical activist Dr Govinda KC who has been staging his 16th fast-unto-death has been shifted to the Ilam District Hospital on further deterioration of his health, today.

It has been learnt that KC's heartbeat was irregular on the fifth day of his strike (Sunday) while a chest infection has been suspected.

Doctors involved in the regular health check-up of Dr KC said his health condition had started deteriorating. On Jan 11, Dr Ram Krishna Acharya had told THT that the level of glucose in the agitating doctor’s body had fallen by one third and ‘Ketone’ was detected in his urine.

However, Dr KC was initially reluctant to move to the hospital and said that fulfilment of his demands were more important than his health. He moved to the district hospital at 9:00 AM, where he will continue his Satyagraha.

Dr KC announced his latest hunger strike in protest of the draft of National Medical Education Bill- 2075 endorsed by a sub-committee of the Parliamentary Education and Health Committee, which, according to the senior orthopaedic surgeon, does not honour agreement reached between him and the government on July 26, 2018.

The report was later endorsed by the Education and Health Committee under the House of Representatives on January 9.

The committee meeting passed the report with a majority as 14 among 18 members present voted in favour of the document. Four members from the opposition parties stood against the report. The report on the bill was endorsed by a majority as per the Article 181 of the House of Representatives Regulations- 2075 BS.