KATHMANDU, JANUARY 27
Minister of State for Health and Population Toshima Karki has issued a clarification through Facebook after she was criticised for publicity stunt by posting a video of her visit to the Kirtipur-based burn hospital on Wednesday.
Karki had come under fire for violating ICU protocol to meet Prem Prasad Acharya who had attempted self-immolation in front of the Parliament building in New Baneshwor on Tuesday afternoon.
She has clarified that she wasunaware about the video being shot during her visit to the hospital.
She also said issues raised by Prem Acharya should not be overshadowed by highlighting the issue of ICU protocol and talking about the video of her talk with critically injured Acharya in the ICU.
"Today everyone has a mobile phone in their hands and I do not even know about the people who were allowed to enter the ICU and who shot the video," reads her post.
Regarding the allegation that she did not follow the ICU protocol, Karki said she had followed the ICU protocol and since she was a surgeon herself her inquiry with patient was part of the medical procedure.
She also asked everyone not to politicise the matter as she did not have any intention of doing publicity stunt over the death of a person. "I visited the patient to make him feel the presence of the state and the government. My professional ethics did not allow me to sit back at home after learning about the condition of Acharya," she further added.
According to the hospital administration, Karki didn't take any permission to visit Acharya in the ICU.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 28, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
