Govt to purchase Manmohan Medical College
KATHMANDU, July 24: Dr Govinda KC has agreed to end his fast-unto-death, which he was staging since the last 15 days, after the government agreed to acquire the controversial Manmohan Medical College and fulfill his other demands.
As per the four-point deal signed between the government representatives and Dr KC on Sunday evening, the government will purchase properties and physical infrastructures of the Manmohan Medical College and the Basic Science Building of the college built at Dahachowk, Kathmandu and fulfill other demands put forth by Dr KC. The properties of the Manmohan Medical College will be used by Bir Hospital, which is under the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS).
Both sides also agreed not to discuss the impeachment of Lokman Singh Karki, the chief commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) anymore as the issue has already been noticed by the parliament. The issue was another major demand of Dr KC.
The government has also agreed to include provision in the Medical Education Bill to make 50 percent seats available free of cost at medical universities run by the government, establish at least one government medical college in all the federal provinces, not to give affiliation 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. The government side has also agreed to direct Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University (TU) to appoint dean at the Institute of Medicine (IoM).
Dr KC has been in an indefinite hunger strike since July 10 demanding reforms in medical education sector, including withdrawal of the bill of the Manmohan Medical College to turn it in to academy. Dr KC will break his fast on Monday.
Earlier the government had already agreed to fulfill all the demands put forth by Dr KC except those which fall under jurisdiction of the Legislature-Parliament.
Meanwhile, about a dozen supporters of Dr Govinda KC have been injured when police baton charged them at Tangal of Kathmandu on Sunday morning.
Scores of doctors, nurses, medical students, social activists and general public had gathered in front of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to protest against Lokman Singh Karki, chief commissioner of the CIAA.
Injured doctors and activists were rushed to hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, police have arrested 10 protesters while they were staging sit-in outside the CIAA office. Arrested doctors and medical students were taken to Nepal Police Club.
The arrested doctors condemned the police act for arresting them from non-restricted zone.
Those arrested were Badri Aryal, Sagar Pokharel, Pukar Bam, Avinash Basnet, Paras Rawat, Niraj Siddique, Bikram Oli, Padamraj Joshi, Bishwas Dahal and Gyanendra Niraula.
Hundreds of supporters of Dr KC had also staged sit-in outside Nepal Police Club demanding release of the arrested doctors. All the arrested people were released later in the evening.
Talks between govt and KC's team fail to strike deal yet again
