KATHMANDU, Oct 5: Hundreds of patients were affected after all resident doctors of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Maharajgunj, Kathmandu boycotted Out Patient Department (OPD) services from Tuesday in support of the hunger strike staged by Dr Govinda KC, a senior professor at the Institute of Medicine.
Around 2,000 patients from across the country visit TUTH every day as the hospital is known to provide quality care at affordable rates. There are about 250 to 300 resident doctors serving at the TUTH, according to the National Resident Doctors' Association (NRDA).
"We boycotted all the services except for emergency and operation services today," said Dr Leison Maharjan, president of the NRDA. "Our support to Dr KC will continue until the government addresses his demands."
The resident doctors had halted studies at the Institute of Medicine, the body that governs TUTH, from Sunday, expressing solidarity with Dr KC's agitation. However, paramedical doctors, faculty members and medical officers have continued their services in the hospital, according to TUTH sources.
Dr KC, a senior orthopedic surgeon at the TUTH, began his ninth fast-unto-death from September 26 demanding that the running session of the parliament approve the bill on medical education.
Meanwhile, Solidarity for Dr KC Alliance held a demonstration on Tuesday here in the capital city and staged a sit-in program for an hour near the Prime Minister's Residence at Baluwatar in Kathmandu in a bid to pressure the government to address his demands.
Hundreds affected by residents' OPD boycott
