Resident doctors of Institute of Medicine (IoM) have decided to boycott academic programmes from Sunday in a show of solidarity with Dr Govinda KC, who is staging his 10th hunger strike to press for reforms in the country’s medical education and health service sectors.

This time, Dr KC is protesting the appointment of Dr KP Singh as the IoM dean. Dr Singh was not the senior-most professors among the names considered for the dean’s job. It was Dr Jagdish Agrawal, whose nomination was also supported by Dr KC. 

The National Resident Doctors Association of IoM on Friday reached the decision of boycotting all academic activities in order to pressurise the government to fulfil Dr KC’s demand. 

Issuing a statement, the NRDA said it fully supports Dr KC’s protest for the improvement of medical education and health service sectors. 

NRDA President Dr Leison Maharjan said they have not yet decided if they will entirely boycott hospital activities. 

The government has not taken any initiative to address the demand of Dr KC, who has been on hunger strike for the last six days. Dr Maharjan said the condition of Dr KC was deteriorating.