DHARAN, JULY 11

Prolonged agitation by doctors, students, and employees has pushed BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, into disarray.

Financial irregularities, corruption and political intervention have caused the BPKIHS's services to deteriorate. Doctors, students and staffers have launched an agitation demanding reform at the institute for the past 27 days.

The government, however, is turning a deaf ears to the agitators' demands.

The protesters have made the resignation of office bearers - Vice-chancellor Dr Gyanendra Giri, Rector Dr Guru Prasad Khanal, Registrar Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi and Hospital Director Dr Gaurishankar Shah their bottomline. Office bearers, however, seem apathetic towards addressing the demands of protesters.

Rather, they are busy lobbying political masters to save their posts.

Dharan Civil Society Pressure Network Chair Dr Rajendra Sharma demanded that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli form a probe committee to investigate irregularities at BPKIHS. Sharma accused the government of being irresponsible towards the health sector. "If the government does not solve the problem, we shall encircle Singha Durbar," Sharma warned.

BPKIHS's former employee and Employees' Welfare Society former chair Sujendra Gole accused the government's irresponsibility for the mess seen at the institute.

Gole also demanded that the central government form an investigation committee to resolve the problem. BPKIHS Employees' Welfare Society acting chair Umesh Thapa said the government and office bearers had held the institute hostage.

Joint Struggle Committee Coordinator Dr Surya Prasad Rimal said that office bearers should quit their posts on moral grounds.

"If the government does not solve the problem, we shall be compelled to put in our papers," Rimal warned. The protesters have turned down the offer of talks with BPKIHS office bearers.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 12 2021, of The Himalayan Times.