Dr KC ends 14-day hunger strike after 11-point accord (with video)

KATHMANDU, Sept 6: Dr Govinda KC ended his 14-day fast-unto-death on Sunday after an 11-point deal was struck between him and the government.

Dr KC, a senior professor at the Institute of Medicine (IoM), ended his fast, taking juice offered jointly by 18-months-old Suvani Upreti and Phurba Dolmo of Mukot-3, Dolpa.

The government had reached an 11-point agreement with Dr KC's team on Saturday night, but Dr KC broke his hunger strike only on Sunday. He devoted an additional day of hunger strike to peace and harmony in the nation.

"This protest is for the bright future of millions of children like Suvani, who offered me the juice and for people like Phurba, who have been living in remote places in so much hardship," Dr KC said after taking the juice.

Dr KC said the triumph of his protest is the triumph of all 30 million compatriots. Dr KC hopes that quality health would become accessible in the villages if the Mathema report is implemented, and ordinary people would have easy access to health care.

He said that thousands of women and underage children die every year for lack of basic health care.

According to Dr KC, the medical education offered by private colleges lacks quality even though people have been compelled to invest millions to get a medical education. "Only five percent of the people can afford a medical education and due to the huge investments involved doctors also are compelled to remain in the cities to recover their investments," he added.

Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi and Secretary at the Health and Population (MoHP) Ministry Shanta Bahadur Shrestha were presented in the function.

Formation of a health Professionals Education Commission is one of the 11 points agreed to on Saturday night. The cabinet meeting on Monday will endorse the agreement and form the commission.

Other points in the agreement include gradual reduction of the number of MBBS seats per medical college to 135 and then to 115 and 100 in the next three years, a ceiling of Rs 3.5 million for each MBBS seat as recommended by the Mathema taskforce report, formation of a new probe committee to investigate past abuse of authority at Tribhuvan University and Kathmandui University, launching of a probe into Birat and Dev Daha Medical Colleges, taking action against the proprietors of Janaki Medical College, and proper management of students.

Dr KC, who had already staged hunger strike five times in the past, started his sixth hunger strike on August 24, demanding full implementation of the Mathema taskforce report and other past accords regarding reform in medical education.

Academic activities at IoM, which have been disrupted since last week, will resumed from Monday. Health care services at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, which have been affected since Tuesday, will also resume Monday.

Meanwhile, the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Nepal have threatened to shut down all private medical and dental colleges from Tuesday. Organizing a press meet in the capital Sunday, operators of medical colleges expressed strong objection to the 11- point deal.