Asks KC to head the committee himself, KC reluctant

KATHMANDU, Aug 12: Prime Minister KP Oli has proposed forming an inspection committee to ensure effective implementation of the nine-point agreement reached with Dr Govinda KC two weeks ago. Also, the prime minister has asked Dr KC to head the committee himself so that the agreement could be implemented as per the spirit underlying it, but the doctor has turned down the idca.

In a meeting held at his official residence on Saturday with Dr Govinda KC and his representatives , Prime Minister Oli said the government was sincere about implementing the nine-point agreement reached with Dr KC on July 26, and proposed forming a joint inspection committee for the purpose, headed by Dr KC himself .

“Prime Minister Oli floated the idea of forming an inspection committee for the implementation of all the agreements reached between the government and Dr KC; and the prime minster also asked Dr KC to head the committee. But Dr KC said he was OK with the government's plan to set up such a mechanism but declined to head the mechanism,” said senior advocate Om Prakash Aryal, who accompanied Dr KC to the meeting. According to Aryal, Dr KC said he would rather nominate his representatives to the committee.

Dr KC and his representatives had reached Baluwatar to urge the prime minister to implement at the earliest the nine-point agreement reached between himself and the government .

Dr KC agreed to end his 15th hunger strike on the 27th day, following a nine-point agreement with the government. The agreement included a 10-year moratorium on the establishing of any new medical college in Kathmandu Valley, which had been the major bone of contention in talks.

During the meeting which lasted for over two hours, the prime minister also urged the senior orthopedic surgeon and crusader for medical education reform to provide further inputs for the National Medical Education Bill.

“First, the prime minister informed us that the government had already tabled the medical education bill and lawmakers from the ruling parties had even registered their amendments to it. Afterward, he said if Dr KC had any further suggestions regarding the bill, he could furnish these to the government and the government would work to include them in the bill,” said advocate Aryal.

Dr KC warned the prime minister that he would not hesitate to stage a 16th hunger strike if he felt the government was not doing enough to implement the agreements reached with him . “Dr KC urged the government to implement his demands with sincerity and without further ado, or else the prime minister would see him staging a hunger strike again,” Aryal said.

Similarly, Dr KC also urged the government to formally endorse through the cabinet the nine-point agreement reached with him .

Following Dr KC's remarks, Prime Minister Oli assured him that the government was committed to the agreement and would not create a situation which would force Dr KC to resort to hunger strikes anymore.

As per the nine-point agreement, no new private medical college will be established in Kathmandu Valley for 10 years. Those who have already received the letter of intent for establishing medical colleges in the Valley can sell their property to the government or shift to priority areas outside the Valley, and such colleges would be provided incentives. The two sides had also agreed to amend 22 various provisions in the National Medical Education Bill.

The government has likewise agreed to form a two-member taskforce to run MBBS and other bachelor's level medical courses at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences without further delay, and to initiate action within two months against those found guilty by the Medical Education Probe Commission-2017 .

The two sides also agreed to form a taskforce to fix the criteria for the appointment of office bearers at universities and various government-run academies, and to effect changes in the existing acts, laws and policies accordingly.

While the government has initiated the process of implementing some of the agreements it reached with Dr KC, it is yet to start work on the other agreements reached with him.