Dr KC’s health deteriorating fast but talks making no headway
KATHMANDU, Aug 9: Dr Govinda KC’s health condition continues to deteriorate fast as his 11th fast-unto-death enters 17th day on Wednesday. He has been provided with emergency services and he might need emergency medical intervention if his condition continues to worsen, according to doctors.
And yet, talk between the government and Dr KC’s team is not making any headway. Several meetings have been held between the government’s team headed by Education Secretary Shanta Bahadur Shrestha and the KC’s representatives-only failing to reach a concrete understanding.
Meanwhile, the Government Doctors’ Association of Nepal (GDAoN)has also launched a strike in support of Dr KC accusing the government of not taking any of the demands seriously. The doctors associated with GDAoN across the country have worn black armband boycotting all services expect attending to emergency patients.
The talks seems to have been stuck over one of the key demands of Dr KC is endorsement of the Health Profession Education bill which aims at imposing a 10-year moratorium in establishment of new medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley, which has not gone well with some lawmakers at the parliament.
The bill has been in the parliament since September last year. But there seems to have been an agreement to grant affiliation to medical colleges that meet the criteria before imposing the 10-year ban.
KC’s other demands include cutting fees of post graduate studies in medicine from NRS 3.1 million to 2.2 million and investigating into the irregularities of TU officials and taking action against them.