Five days after Dr Govinda KC, the firebrand orthopaedic surgeon, announced he’ll start a fresh hunger strike demanding reforms in medical education, Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet has accused him of working for interest groups that are destroying the country’s medical education sector.

Basnet also warned doctors and medical personnel against standing for Dr KC by halting their services. Addressing a programme in the Capital on Saturday, Basnet said there will be an acute shortage of doctors and medics if the enrolments in MBBS, nursing and paramedic courses aren’t increased.

Stating that there are ample opportunities to develop Nepal as a hub for medical education, Basnet said he has tabled a proposal in the Cabinet to prepare a law to allow the study of nursing and paramedical courses in all hospitals that have 100 to 300 beds and start MBBS study in hospitals with more than 300 beds.

“The prime minister and other ministers have hailed the proposal,” the minister said, adding that he was in a campaign to increase the number of medical graduates in the country.

Basnet's statement comes at a time when Dr KC has warned of a fresh hunger strike at the end of this month, saying that attempts were being made to provide affiliations to the medical and nursing colleges that do not fulfil the necessary legal criteria.

Dr KC has accused the cadres of various parties of building pressure on the Medical Education Commission to give affiliation to medical colleges and other health institutions without fulfilling the legal criteria. Issuing a statement on November 19, Dr KC demanded an immediate operation of Geta Medical College, the establishment of one government medical college each in Dadeldhura, Udayapur and Ilam.

He has given a December 14 deadline to address his concerns, warning of starting a hunger strike the next day if the demands are not fulfilled. “Implement other agreements signed with me in the past,” the doctor said. “We will start a hunger strike from December 15 if our demands are left unaddressed.”

Basnet, however, claimed Dr KC’s demands were serving some interest groups. Without naming Dr KC, Basnet said whenever plans to expand the medical education are floated, a senior doctor warns to start a hunger strike and all doctors and medics stop work on his support.

“You [doctors and medics] have to convince him his demands are not genuine. Tell him he is a good person but is being used by interest groups,” Basnet said. “If you [doctors] don’t support my campaign, I will take action against you.”