The talks between the representatives of agitating senior orthopaedican and professor at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) Dr Govinda KC and the government panel led by Govinda Pokhrel, CEO of National Reconstruction Authority, ended on ‘positive note' on Thursday, both sides claimed.

The dialogue between Pokhrel and over a dozen of representatives of Dr KC led by dean at TUTH Dr Rakesh Srivastav headed in the positive line after former was liberal in implementing the report on Health Education Profession Policy without 'distortion'. Dr KC is on hunger strike for 11 days demanding full implementation of the policy formulated by a panel led by Kedar Bhakta Mathema, former vice-chancellor at TU.

The report has made many recommendations, including withholding operating licence to run medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley for 10 years. It has also recommended the government to open new medical colleges in areas outside the Valley, not to allow more than 100 quotas in MBBS and fixed the tuition fee to Rs 3.5 million.

However, a government panel amended several provisions of the policy creating loopholes which Dr KC believes is a ploy to provide affiliations to Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, National Medical College and People’s Dental College. Pokhrel said that the meeting was very positive and he is optimistic that the problem will be resolved very soon.