KATHMANDU, July 22: Kaancha Prasad Tiwari, a local of Lapsefedi in the eastern rim of Kathmandu district, reached Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) along with his wife Sarala on Thursday to show his solidarity with Dr Govinda KC, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since the last 12 days.
Tiwari, who had returned home from India only on Wednesday, said he was at TUTH to express his support for the causes for which Dr KC has been fighting. "I am neither a patient of his nor does he know me," said the 50-year-old, who is also a cancer patient, adding,"But I am with Dr KC."
He said he could not remain at home indifferent after reading news reports about Dr KC's hunger strike. He offered to take his wife also to TUTH.
Tiwari said reform is needed in the medical sector as patients have been suffering a lot at hospitals under the existing system, which is riddled with corruption and negligence.
"We support Dr KC's fight for reform," said Sarala, adding that she felt dismay that Dr KC has had to stage a hunger strike for the eighth time.
She also observed that it took 12 days for the government to form a talks team and this just went to show how sluggish the state was. "We can get an idea of the sluggishness in officialdom from the plight of earthquake victims and now from the time it has taken them to respond to Dr KC," she said.
Likewise, Nabin Regmi of Nawalparasi district, also 50, had reached TUTH on Thursday to show support for Dr KC. "I am not a patient but I have come to express my solidarity," said Regmi, who is in the capital on personal business.
He too commented on the slow response from the authorities. "They should implement past agreements and meet Dr KC's just demands," said Regmi.
The Tiwari couple and Regmi are representative of the ordinary people who have turned up at TUTH to express their solidarity with Dr KC.
Every day, hundreds of such people have been coming to TUTH.
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