During a meeting with heads of the hospital’s various departments on Sunday morning, the doctors said Dr KC’s protest, if initiated immediately, might send a negative message to the international community as the health facility is identified as the primary care-giver during the summit.

The government earlier directed six hospitals in the Capital to stay prepared for medical emergencies that may come up during the regional meet being held in Kathmandu on November 22-27. Apart from the TUTH, the government has also asked Bir Hospital, Army Hospital, Civil Service Hospital, Prasuti Griha and Norvic International Hospital to function as subsidiary service providers for the summit participants.

Dr Deepak Mahara, director at the TUTH, said they are doing their best to draw the attention of the government towards Dr KC’s demands. “Even if he finds no way than the strike, we have requested him to do so only after the summit ends,” Dr Mahara said. Dr KC, meanwhile, said he will not flinch until his demands are addressed. One of his demands-halting the affiliation process to new medical colleges-has recently been addressed. However, Dr KC said Devdaha Medical College and Birat Medical College, which were granted affiliations by Kathmandu University, should stop taking in students until the policy is formulated.

According to Dr KC, the government should form a high-level committee to draft the National Medical Education Act and present it to the Parliament. He has also asked the government to table the bill on the formation of Medical University, stop granting affiliations to medical colleges for now and take action against TU officials for pressing the Institute of Medicine (IoM) to grant affiliations to new medical colleges. He has also asked the government to book the former and incumbent IoM and TU office bearers, who were found guilty of corruption and irregularities, and create a favourable environment to establish medical colleges in rural areas.

Meanwhile, following request from the government, Dr KC on Sunday gave two-day additional time to address his demands. At a meeting at Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s residence in Baluwatar, which was also attended by Education Minister Chitra Lekha Yadav, the government pledged to form a committee to draft the medical education policy and address his other demands in the given time.

Dr KC said the meeting was also attended by Nepali Congress leader Dr Shashank Koirala and education experts Kedar Bhakta Mathem, Suresh Raj Sharma and Dr Madan Upadhyay. Prime Minister Koirala was not present in the meeting.