Dr Govinda KC has postponed his planned hunger strike by two weeks after the Education and Health Committee of the Parliament assured to endorse the Medical Education Bill at the earliest.

On September 26, the senior orthopaedic surgeon at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) had announced to go on a hunger strike if the bill was not endorsed by December 17.

“Following the assurance from the parliament committee I have decided to postpone the  protest,” Dr KC said in a statement on Monday.

After the committee failed to endorse the bill during the summer session of Parliament, it has assured Dr KC that the bill will be passed when the winter session of House convenes.

“The bill is still being discussed at the sub-committee. Once the deliberation is over, the bill will be discussed in the committee after which we will table it in Parliament,” said Jayapuri Gharti, chairperson of the committee told the Post.

Since 2012, Dr KC has staged indefinite hunger strike for 15 times, seeking reforms in medical education sector. He had ended his 27-day long 15th hunger strike, on July 26, after the government agreed to endorse the bill as per the recommendations of the panel led by Dr Kedar Bhakta Mathema.

Dr KC has also warned the government not to make any changes in the bill.

“If there are any changes in the bill other than that mentioned in our agreement, I will be compelled to stage another  hunger strike,” said Dr KC.

Lawmaker Bhairav Bahadur Singh, co-ordinator of the sub-committee, said they intend to endorse the bill without any changes.

“We are close to completing deliberation on the bill. We have called experts in the field of law to incorporate the provisions in the final draft of the bill. We will be forwarding the draft to the committee next week,” he said.

Dr KC has also demanded the government to find the culprit behind the rape and murder of the 13-year-old Nirmala Pant in Kanchanpur and legal action against

corrupt government officials as recommended by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led inquiry panel.

“After the TU officials took the authority of the Institute of Medicine, there have

been many instances of corruption in affiliation, allocating seats and admission fees. Some government officials under Prime Minister KP Oli, who has been speaking of zero tolerance towards corruption, are major hindrance on the path to better medical sector,” Dr KC said.