Dr Govinda KC postponed his fast-unto-death on Monday by another week at the request of civil society leaders.

The senior orthopaedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital has demanded that the government should withdraw the Manmohan Adhikari Academy of Health Sciences Bill that has been presented to Parliament for deliberation.

He would launch another indefinite hunger strike if the government did not withdraw the bill by January 31. Dr KC also hailed the decision by

civil society leaders to press the government against institutionalising the Manmohan Medical College expressing his hope that such campaigns would help enhance the quality of medical colleges.

The leaders on Sunday launched a petition campaign to press the government to withdraw its decision to give academy status to the Manmohan Institute of Health Sciences. Expressing their concern on the matter, the leaders have warned of stern protests. They argue that circumventing the process while passing the bill will have long-term impact on the sector and set a bad precedent.

Dr KC has already staged seven hunger strikes demanding reforms in medical education. It was because of his fast that the government formed a commission under Kedar Bhakta Mathema which drafted a Health Profession Education Policy.

The policy had suggested the formation of the Health Profession Education Commission to oversee medical education in the country. The government recently appointed Dr Bhagwan Koirala as the commission’s chairperson.

Dr KC said that while the commission formation is a welcome move by the government, the effort to provide academy status to the Manmohan College is condemnable.

“All the decisions concerning medical education should now be made by the commission,” said Dr KC.