Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital senior orthopedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC, who has been staging his 16th hunger strike in Ilam, has been brought to Kathmandu on Thursday night.

Dr KC has been fasting for the last ten days demanding authorities to bring reforms in the country’s medical education sector.

Dr KC was brought to Bhadrapur from Ilam on an ambulance and flown to Kathmandu on a Nepal Army helicopter following the deterioration in his health condition.

As of now, Dr KC is receiving medical treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the TUTH. Doctors involved in the treatment have said that despite feeling pain in his chest and nausea, Dr KC's health condition is stable.

The doctors informed that they are continuing to administer KC with the same anti-biotics that were being given ti him at Ilam hospital. They further informed that his cardiac arrhythmia has also been brought under control and have requested an xray of his chest to further diagnose the cause.

A team of civil society leaders, including former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, Former Vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan University Kedarbhakta Mathema and rights activist Daman Nath Dhungana had reached Ilam on Thursday to express her solidarity with the demands of Dr KC.

A team of doctors from Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), who had reached Ilam to assist in the treatment of the fasting doctor, had suggested that Dr KC be transferred to a well-facilitated hospital with ICU and CCU facilities. Following which the civil society leaders took the initiative to bring Dr KC to Kathmandu for further medical treatment.

“Dr KC’s protest will continue until the demads he has put forth are met,” said former Speaker and rights activist Dhungana, “But there were no other options than to bring him to Kathmandu in view of his deteriorating health condition.”

Likewise, Dr KC’s aides Abhishek Raj Singh and Surendra Bhandari also said that KC had to be flown to Kathmandu in order to save his life.

Supporters of Dr KC have also launched a signature campaign in Illam district headquarters to show solidarity with the fasting doctor. They have been organising rallies on a daily basis to support KC.

KC has been demanding the government to sack the office bearers of Tribhuvan University as recommended by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led probe committee, restore the power of the TU Institute of Medicine, begin works to open medical colleges in the seven provinces, and run MBBS classes at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences. KC has been staging an indefinite hunger strike since January 9.