Kathmandu, Feb 1 – Dr Govinda KC, who had been waging a hunger strike demanding reform in the medical education sector for 24 days, ended the strike on Friday evening.
Dr KC broke the hunger strike organizing a press conference at TU Teaching Hospital. Sweeper at the hospital Amrit Pujari and former Chief Justice Sushila Karki administered juice to him to end the protest.
Issuing a press release following the end of the strike, Dr KC said, “I quit the hunger strike considering that the continuation of struggle at a time when the National Medical Education Bill was already passed by both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly would not create any effect but hassle patients.” Dr KC also said he would launch different sort of struggle to get his demands, omitted by the bill, fulfilled.
Dr KC, who had begun the hunger strike from Ilam this time on January 9, was brought to Kathmandu owing to deteriorating health on January 17.
The government had however repeatedly urged Dr KC to end the hunger strike, arguing that the National Medical Education Bill 2075 finely addressed his demands.
Earlier, various dignitaries had requested Dr KC to end the strike considering his health on Friday itself.
Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Giriraj Mani Pokharel, has claimed the government had implemented the agreement it had with Dr Govinda KC.
Inaugurating the 6th national convention of Nepal Sanskrit University Teachers’ Association here Friday, Minister Pokharel said the National Medical Education Bill recently passed by the parliament had incorporated the issues raised by Dr KC.
“Now, time has come for all to shun the matter of principles but to work in a concrete manner for the reform in medical education sector,” he urged.
According to him, the education must be linked to skills and employment generation. He suggested that the Nepal Sanskrit University linked the oriental philosophy and culture to the modern ayurveda and natural treatment.
