Dr Govinda KC, an orthopaedic surgeon and activist, on Sunday warned of another hunger strike from July 24 unless the government scrapped the operating licence of the medical colleges that deny admissions to students on merit.

Issuing a statement on Sunday, Dr KC said that private medical colleges have been involved in anomalies while admitting students and charging exorbitant fees. 

Dr KC was referring to the admission process of the PG programme at the two Tribhuvan University-affiliated colleges—Universal Medical College and National Medical College. The colleges admitted students with low marks in the entrance examinations despite warning from the Institute of Medicine (IoM) that the admissions should be strictly based on merit. 

After repeated warnings from various authorities and pressure from the medical students, National has agreed to admit students from the merit list but Universal is still denying admission to the students for the PG programmes. 

He said that the nexus between TU office bearers and owners of private medical colleges will have a long-lasting impact on the country’s health sector.

Dr KC, who has already staged hunger strike on 10 occasions, has demanded that the government immediately endorse the Health Profession Education Bill (HPEC). His other demands include appointment of the associate dean and the campus chief on the recommendations of the dean; giving authority to the IoM to enrol students, set fees and grant affiliation; de-affiliation of medical colleges that deny directives of the government and the court. 

While suggesting that the government set fees for the medical education until the Health Profession Education Commission is formed, Dr KC argued that even Rs3.1 million—the fees set by the TU for MD/MS programmes—was much higher. “The actual fees should be Rs2.2 million as set by the Kathmandu University to its affiliated medical colleges,” he said.

He has also sought action against TU office bearers who have been stripping away rights of the IoM.

“We are working to strengthen our health systems and people should access quality health services regardless of their geographical location. The government should immediately begin enrolment of students at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences and begin operations at the Rapti Health Sciences Academy,” Dr KC said.

Memorandum submitted to IoM dean

KATHMANDU: Ten associations of doctors on Sunday wrote to IoM Dean Dr Jagdish Agrawal, demanding that the affiliation of Universal Medical College be immediately scrapped.

They have also warned of intensifying protest if their demands are not addressed. In the memorandum, they have asked the IoM to start the process to delist the college as a Tribhuvan University medical school as per the Cabinet directive on July 6. The government has warned of disaffiliating medical colleges if they do not follow the enrolment standards. (PR)