Doctors threaten to boycott all but emergency and COVID-19 services

Expressing solidarity with Dr KC

Doctors threaten to boycott all but emergency and COVID-19 services

Published On: October 8, 2020 09:47 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Oct 8: Demanding the government save the life of Dr Govinda KC, Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has unveiled a series of protest programs starting Thursday.

The umbrella organization of medical doctors has decided to boycott all the medical services except emergency and COVID-19 services from 9am to 11 am on Thursday.

The organization has also warned of staging nationwide protests on Friday, and boycotting all the services except emergency and COVID-19 cases. Medical doctors will treat patients by wearing black armbands, according to the organization.

The organization has warned of intensifying the protest if the government continued showing apathy in saving the life of Dr KC, who has been staging fast-unto-death protests for the past 25 days demanding implementation of the agreements reached with him in the past. Doctors say his health condition has deteriorated in recent days.

Amid worsening health conditions of Dr KC, there have been calls from various quarters to address his demand and save Dr KC's life as the government failed to show any proactive initiative to end his fast-unto-death strike. On Tuesday, former prime ministers jointly asked the government to form a talks team to address the demands put forth by Dr KC and end his hunger strike to save his life.

In the meantime, the government has formed a three-member committee to hold talks with senior orthopedic surgeon Dr KC, who has been staging a hunger strike demanding reforms in the medical sector of the country.

The committee is led by secretary at the Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Gopinath Mainali. The other members of the committee are Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health and PopulationDr Gunaraj Mainali and Director at the Medication Education Commission Dr Dilip Sharma.

Likewise, Dr KC's supporters have also formed a four-member talk team led by Jiban Chhetri to hold talks with the government. The panel has Dr Anjani Kumar Jha, Dr Lochan Karki and Om Prakash Aryal as members.