The National Human Rights Commission has called on the government to become sensitive towards the health condition of Dr Govinda KC, a social crusader, who is on a hunger strike demanding reforms in the medical education sector for the last 24 days.

The constitutional human rights watchdog after meeting KC said his health condition is fragile and needs immediate attention.
“The commission's monitoring has found that the government hasn’t given necessary attention to his health condition,” the commission said in a statement. 

The rights body has also asked the government to inform the public about the progress made towards implementing KC’s demand.

The commission on September 25 had also asked the government to make public the implementation status of the several agreements made with KC in the past. 

The government has signed 18 agreements with KC since he staged his first hunger strike in July 2012.

“The commission calls the government to come up with a progress made towards implementing the past agreements with KC and become sensitive towards his health condition,” the commission said.

Establishment of at least one state-run teaching hospital in each province and conducting MBBS classes at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences are among KC’s demands this time.

KC had commenced his latest hunger strike in Babaramasta Temple in Jumla before he was brought to Kathmandu.

He had agreed to come to Kathmandu on the condition that he would continue his hunger strike at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, where he served and taught for around three decades. 

However, the doctor was forcibly taken to the National Trauma Centre after he landed in Kathmandu. 

KC was eventually taken to the teaching hospital in Maharajgunj after a widespread criticism from different quarters in response to the police using force to take him to the trauma centre against his wish.

Three weeks have passed since KC hasn’t eaten anything, and the government is yet to start a formal dialogue with him.
The national human rights body has urged the government to seek a solution through dialogue.