Doctors attending to Dr Govinda KC, who has been staging an indefinite hunger strike in Ilam since Wednesday, have expressed concern over his failing health and suggested him to undergo treatment at the District Hospital.

KC is suffering from low blood oxygen level and exhibiting symptoms of chest infection and jaundice, Dr Ram Krishna Acharya said on Sunday. 

“We are trying to shift him to the hospital where he could receive medical attention, but we cannot do anything without his consent,” Acharya said.

Read: Opposition calls for consensus on Medical Education Bill 

KC has refused to move to the hospital. A team of doctors from the District Hospital has been monitoring his health.

KC has been staging his 16th fast-unto-death demanding implementation of the past agreements on reforming the medical education and health care sectors,

Ilam residents rally

Senior citizens organised a rally in Ilam Bazaar on Sunday to express their solidarity with KC. The rally started from Phulgachhi, where KC has been stating his hunger strike, and past towards the town centre before converging into a corner meeting. They demanded the authorities concerned to address KC’s demands at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the supporters of KC, including his former talks team coordinator Dr Abhishekraj Singh, arrived in Ilam on Sunday. They said KC was not going to end his protest unless the government addresses his demands.

“This Satyagraha is different than the previous ones. The present protest won’t end in any agreement as its main agenda is to implement the agreements reached in the past,” said Surendra Bhandari, one of KC’s supporters.

KC has been demanding to implement the Medical Education Bill in its entirety, as agreed by the government team that persuaded KC to end his 27-day long 15th hunger strike.

He started his 16th hunger strike from a private house in Ilam on Wednesday after the Education and Health Committee of Parliament endorsed the contested report with added provisions on the bill.

Read: Dr KC begins his 16th hunger strike in Ilam