KATHMANDU : The government has started a dialogue with Dr Govinda KC, who has been on a hunger strike putting forth various demands to reform the health and medical education sectors in the country.
Forming a three-member committee on Wednesday, the government started the process to hold a dialogue with Dr KC. The committee led by Gopinath Mainali, Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, was formed through a minister-level decision.
Dr KC is staging his 19th hunger strike at the Teaching Hospital. He began his fast-unto-death on September 14 from Jumla in Karnali. The decision to form the committee comes amidst pressure against the government by various sectors to save Dr KC’s life, as his health condition has reportedly deteriorated in the past few days.
Following the government’s instruction, a team led by Mainali had met Dr KC on Tuesday and urged him to end his hunger strike. However, Dr KC had reiterated his stance that he would continue the hunger strike until a committee is formed and his demands are addressed. The committee was formed the next day.
Dr Gunaraj Lohani, a joint secretary at the ministry and Dilip Sharma, a director at the Medical Education Commission are other members of the talks committee, according to Deepak Sharma, spokesperson of the ministry.
Earlier during the secretariat meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party held on Tuesday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had said that the government was serious about saving Dr KC’s life, and that the dialogue process has already begun.
The secretariat meeting had also urged Dr KC to end his hunger strike by considering the current coronavirus pandemic and to settle all issues through dialogue. The government maintains its stance that most of the demands of Dr KC have already been met.
