Dr KC urges Dr Singh to resign for a good cause
KATHMANDU, Nov 17: All the resident doctors at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the demands put forth by Dr Govinda KC and his demands.
Dr KC, a senior professor at the Institute of Medicine (IoM) is on his 10th fast-unto-death since the past four days demanding reforms in the medical education sector.
Around 2,000 patients from across the country visit TUTH every day for quality care at affordable rates. There are around 300 resident doctors at the TUTH, according to the National Resident Doctors' Association (NRDA).
TUTH resident docs side with Dr KC
The resident doctors on Wednesday worked by wearing black bands around their arms expressing solidarity with Dr KC's movement, according to a statement issued by the NRDA. “We will continue our regular work by wearing black armbands as a protest against the anarchy in the medical sector,” said Dr Leison Maharjan, president of the NRDA. “His demands are just. We urge one and all to support Dr KC's move until his demands are met.”
Dr KC, a senior orthopedic surgeon at TUTH, demanding sack for TU vice chancellor Prof Dr Tirtha Raj Khaniya for undoing the medical education sector, began a fast-unto-death from November 13.
Dr KC started the strike, claiming that the government failed to address his demands despite promising to fulfill them. He has forwarded a nine-point demand on November 13 in the course of launching the 10th hunger strike. The nine-point demand issued last Sunday include, sacking of Tribhuvan University VC Dr Tirtha Raj Khaniya, appointing IOM dean on the basis of seniority, implementation of past agreements, no affiliation to medical colleges before passing a new medical education bill from parliament, expediting the process to impeach suspended chief of CIAA Lok Man Singh Karki and probe on CIAA commissioner Raj Narayan Pathak, and implementation of the fee structure proposed by the Mathema Commission.
The health condition of Dr KC is gradually weakening on the fourth day of hunger strike on Wednesday. His heart beat is unstable, according to the doctors.
Meanwhile, Dr KP Singh, the newly-appointed dean of IOM, visited Dr KC and urged him to end the hunger strike. Dr Singh also said that he would not grant affiliation to any new colleges. In response, Dr KC asked Dr Singh to resign his post for a good reason. “I will continue my strike until my demands are addressed,” he added. “TU VC Khaniya is working for the interest of medical mafia and brokers,” Dr KC said.
