The government on Wednesday formed a three-member panel to hold talks with Dr Govinda KC, who has been on his 19th fast-unto-death for the last 24 days.

In response, Dr KC’s team too formed its own talks team.

Both the teams are scheduled to sit for talks on Thursday.

The government talks team is led by Education Secretary Gopinath Mainali. Dr Dilip Sharma, director of the Medical Education Commission, and Dr Gunaraj Lohani, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Health, are members of the Mainali-led team.

“We will meet Dr KC and his team tomorrow and hold discussions to find a solution to the ongoing crisis,” Mainali told the Post.

The talks team on behalf of KC comprises Dr Jiwan Khestry, Dr Lochan Karki, Dr Anjani Kumar Jha and Om Prakash Aryal, an advocate.

“We will hold a discussion with the government team tomorrow morning,” Kshetry told the Post.

The Oli government had come under intense scrutiny and was facing criticism for ignoring KC’s ongoing fast.

Earlier in the afternoon, doctors attending KC warned of life-threatening events if immediate measures are not taken.

According to a medical bulletin issued by Dr Subhash Prasad Acharya, coordinator of KC’s medical team, the senior orthopaedic surgeon suffers from fatigue, dizziness, intermittent palpitation, muscle cramps and pain.

“He is also having shortness of breath during movement and exertion, especially after he gets up or after urination,” reads the bulletin. “His oxygen saturation decreased to 89-90 percent during exertion and maintained at 94-95 percent on the oxygen supplement at rest.”

He started his 19th hunger strike from Jumla on September 14 demanding the establishment of a government medical college each in Sudurpaschim Province, Province 2, Gandaki Province and Province 1 and an amendment to the National Medical Education Act. He arrived in Kathmandu on September 22.

But upon his arrival, police forcibly took him to the National Trauma Centre against his wish to go to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. After the government received widespread criticism, KC was allowed to go to the Teaching Hospital, where he has continued his hunger strike.

“KC’s blood sugar and all electrolytes—potassium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus—are critically low,” the bulletin reads. “Moreover, his white blood cell counts are low, which puts him at risk of acquiring infections.”

Doctors have been giving him normal saline to keep his vein open for emergency vascular access.

“In view of shortness of breath, decreased oxygen saturation and electrolytes imbalance and symptoms of severe electrolytes abnormalities, he needs monitoring and management in a critical care unit,” reads the bulletin. “KC was advised admission to ICU but he has denied.”