The Nepal Medical Association, the umbrella body of medical and dental doctors across the country, said on Thursday that it would shut down all the services except emergency in all the hospitals—government and private—on Friday.

The NMA had been organising a relay hunger strike for the past three days demanding the government save the life of Dr Govinda KC, who has been staging his 16th hunger strike for the last 23 days objecting to the amendments made to the National Medical Education Bill, which was on Thursday endorsed by the National Assembly as well.

Following the Upper House nod to the bill, the NMA announced its protest plan for Friday requesting all the doctors across the country to shut down the general services.

Last Friday, lawmakers of the ruling Nepal Communist Party had bulldozed the bill through Parliament. But KC said he would continue his hunger strike.

“The government is neglecting Dr KC’s deteriorating health condition. The government should initiate talks with Dr KC to save him,” said Dr Lochan Karki, general-secretary of the NMA in a press statement.

“We will be forced to intensify our protests if our demands are not addressed and the government fails to take steps to save the life of Dr KC.”