KATHMANDU, July 23: Orthopedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC, who is on a fast-unto-death since the last 13 days, may need intensive care, doctors attending to him said.
A medical bulletin issued by Dr Dibya Singh Shah on Friday said that the medical team tasked to provide care to Dr KC has been trying to keep his condition stable. Since Thursday evening, Dr KC has been complaining of sore throat and he also continues to have headache, chest pain, body ache and muscle cramps.
"He may develop fever and his condition can deteriorate further, requiring intensive care at any time," reads the bulletin. The bulletin further says that his blood pressure remains on the low side and a few irregular heart rhythms were noted Thursday. He needs continuous oxygen inhalation to maintain his oxygen saturation. His serum potassium, magnesium and calcium are also on the low side. "He had developed pharyngitis and he remains febrile," the bulletin further reads.
Talks stuck in stalemate
Talks between the government and representatives of Dr KC, which aim to end the ongoing hunger strike, are stuck in stalemate as both side appear too rigid to compromise. Representatives of Dr KC complain that the government side came across as stiff at Friday's talks.
"This does not mean the talks have failed. We have agreed to meet again in the evening," Dr Ranjan Sapkota, who is coordinator of the talks team from Dr KC's side, told Republica. He said the talks have not moved forward from the point where they left off on Thursday.
"The talks are stuck over the Manmohan Medical College bill, which has been tabled at Parliament, and over the impeachment on Lokman Singh Karki, chief commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA)," a member of talks team from Dr KC's side told Republica.
Both sides agreed to meet Friday evening but the government side later postponed the talks.
The government's talks team includes Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office Kamalshali Ghimire and Education Secretary Bishwa Prakash Pandit, and is under the coordination of Secretary at the Health Ministry Shenendra Raj Uprety.
Similarly, the team representing Dr KC includes his aides Jiwan KC, Suman Acharya, Dr Anjani Kumar Jha, Dr Rijan Maharjan and Sneha Bandhu Regmi as well as Dr Sapkota.
ICU beds added to Bharatpur Hospital
Dr KC started his eighth hunger strike from Sunday last week, putting forth his four-point demand that includes reforms in the medical education sector and impeachment of CIAA chief Karki.
He has also demanded that all seats at medical universities run by the government be made free, at least one government medical college be established in all the federal provinces, no affiliation be given to any medical, dental or nursing college in Kathmandu Valley for the next 10 years, and fee ceilings be implemented from this year as fixed by the Ministry of Education, the universities and Nepal Medical Council.
Dr KC has likewise demanded recall of the bill tabled at Parliament to turn the Manmohan Medical College into an academy, and the implementation of past agreements.
