KATHMANDU, September 7: Following the decision of Tribhuvan University's executive council to scrap the affiliation issued to the controversial Kathmandu National Medical College (KNMC), Dr Govinda KC has puts off his 12th fast-unto-death scheduled to begin Wednesday.
The TU meeting held on Wednesday decided to scrap the affiliation issued on July 27 to Kathmandu National Medical College, which does not meet the basic requirements to operate a medical college.
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Issuing a statement Wednesday, Dr KC, senior professor at TU's Institute of Medicine (IoM), said the government fulfilled one of his major demands. “So, I have decided to postpone the hunger strike keeping in view the festive season,” he said. “Unless my demands are seriously taken and addressed, I will be forced to launch hunger strike again,” he said.
According to him, the government should bring the integrated medical education act immediately as per the recommendations of the report of the Mathema taskforce. Dr KC's demands this time included revoking TU's decision to provide affiliation to medical colleges, fixing the ceiling for fees and seats at medical colleges, and taking action against officials involved in issuing affiliation to the controversial medical college which had submitted fake documents.
Dr KC has also demanded action against those involved in irregularities in the purchase of land plots for the Nepal Oil Corporation. “Political parties are protecting corrupt individuals despite uncovering of the truth. If the government does not take action, I will raise this concern in my next fast-unto-death,” he warned.
Dr KC began his 11th fast-unto-death from July 24 demanding the government bring the Medical Education Act as per the Mathema taskforce report, slash fees of postgraduate studies in medicine from Rs 3.1 million to Rs 2.2 million, appoint four assistant deans at IOM and campus chief immediately and probe into the irregularities of TU officials and take action against them for snatching IOM's authority to take decisions about medical colleges.
