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Dr KC breaks fast, drinks juice offered by patient
Prof Dr Govinda KC, who had been staging indefinite hunger strike since 16 days, broke his fast after the government agreed to address some of his demands.Prof Dr Govinda KC, who had been staging indefinite hunger strike since 16 days, broke his fast after the government agreed to address some of his demands.
He drank a glass of juice served by one of the patients at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu.
Dr KC has been on a hunger strike for the last 15 days demanding reforms in the medical education sector, implementation of past agreements and impeachment of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority chief Lok Man Singh Karki.
As per an agreement reached late on Sunday, the government will buy the infrastructure of the Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS). The MMIHS is backed by CPN-UML members and a bill seeking to make it an autonomous academy is under consideration in Parliament. Withdrawal of the bill is one of Dr KC’s demands.
According to the agreement reached with Dr KC, the infrastructure of the MMIHS will be used by the National Academy of Medical Sciences. “The government will immediately begin the process to acquire the infrastructure of the MMIHS,” said Dr Ranjan Sapkota of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Regarding impeachment of CIAA chief Karki, Dr KC was informed that the issue has already entered Parliament.
It has also been agreed that the government will make necessary amendments to the Health Profession Education Commission Bill that calls for free medical seats in government medical colleges and establishing medical schools in each province.