Dr KC’s health worsens, hunger strike enters Day 9 today
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KATHMANDU, March 30: Doctors attending to Dr Govinda KC, who is on a fast-unto-death for the last eight days, said his health has further deteriorated on Sunday and is likely to be shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
"Professor KC has become very weak and is in critical condition. We are prepared to shift him to ICU," said Dr Apil Dev Neupane, who has been monitoring Dr KC's health. He informed that though Dr KC's blood pressure level has been maintained, water level in his body is too low.
Even as Dr KC's health worsens, the government remains unresponsive to his demands.
The government on Sunday held talks with representatives of Dr KC to convince him to break his hunger strike. Minister for Health and Population Khaga Raj Adhikari and Chief Secretary Leelamani Paudyal had reached Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital on Sunday morning to discuss with protesting doctors issues raised by Dr KC.
However, the talks ended without entering the main issues as the government side said they were not prepared to take a decision. The Dr YP Singh-led team that represented Dr KC had submitted the latter's demands to the government representatives.
Dr Ramchandra Sapkota, who took part in the dialogue from Dr KC's side, said the meeting was informal. He informed that Minister Adhikari had left the hospital early asking Chief Secretary Paudyal to hold talks to convince Dr KC. Paudyal had inquired about KC's bottom line for a compromise between the two sides.
"We have discussed the demands forwarded by Dr KC and a possible way out in detail," said Paudyal. He informed that they have agreed to hold another round of talks.
"We think the government needs preparations to hold talks and arrive at a decision. We will sit for talks again after adequate preparations," added Chief Secretary Paudyal.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has asked all patients across the country to receive treatment as soon as possible, saying the association may take an unpleasant decision any time. An emergency meeting of NMA, the umbrella organization of medical doctors, on Saturday had given the government 24-hour ultimatum to fulfill the 10-point demand forwarded by Dr KC, who is on fast-unto-death since last Sunday.
NMA had asked its members to work wearing black arm bands and provide out-patient services from the hospital premises from Monday. "Health condition of Dr KC has been worsening. We can take an unpleasant decision any time. So I urge all patients to seek treatment immediately," said NMA Chairman Dr Anjani Kumar Jha. He said doctors will launch relay hunger strike from Tuesday if the government fails to respond to Dr KC's demands by Monday evening.
Protesting students under the Institute of Medicine (IoM) boycotted academic activities on Sunday as well. They staged street drama at Basantapur Durbar Square on Sunday afternoon. Protesting students have planned a mass gathering at 10 am Monday on hospital premises.
