Dr Govinda KC began his 12th hunger strike on Monday, warning against passing the Health Profession Education (HPE) Bill with the provisions that favour a handful of institutions backed by some political party members.
Dr Govinda KC began his 12th hunger strike on Monday, warning against passing the Health Profession Education (HPE) Bill with the provisions that favour a handful of institutions backed by some political party members.
The orthopaedic surgeon’s decision to launch yet another fast-unto-death comes amid talks about parliamentarians’ plan to rush the HPE Bill.
Parliament on Monday, however, was put off, hours after Dr KC announced his hunger strike, until October 6 for Dashain holidays.
Dr KC, who had staged his 11th fast-unto-death from July 24 to August 15, said he decided to go on a hunger strike after sensing that preparations were being made to endorse the HPE Bill by ignoring some crucial recommendations made by a team of experts led by Kedar Bhakta Mathema.
The Mathema team’s report has recommended a moratorium of 10 years on establishing new medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley. “I am getting a sense that parliamentarians are planning to endorse the HPE Bill by tweaking some crucial provisions,” said Dr KC. “It is high time we put pressure on parliamentarians to endorse the bill in such a way that it addresses the interest of the general public, not of the ‘mafias’,” said Dr KC.
Dr KC has also demanded that all medical schools comply with the government-proposed fee structure for medical colleges.
Demands
Endorsement of the HPE Bill with the provisions recommended by a team of experts
Removal of Dr Rajendra Koju as the dean of School of Medical Sciences of Kathmandu University
Revocation of a KU decision to charge Rs 5 million for MBBS course, which is higher than the government-prescribed fee
Investigation into the embezzlement of billions of rupees by Gopal Bahadur Khadka, the sacked chief of Nepal Oil Corporation
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