TU top officials meet as KC’s health deteriorates
Five days after senior Dr Govinda KC began his hunger strike against political appointment in the Institute of Medicine (IoM), the office bearers at the Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) are meeting on Wednesday to address his demands. It is expected that the meeting will reach a conclusion by today evening.
Meanwhile, medical condition of Dr KC is said to be deteriorating. According to the Save KC campaign, his blood oxygen level has become very low and his heart rate has increased. Despite his protest, Dr KC has been administered saline and oxygen.
Dr KC went on strike on 11 January after appointment of Dr Sashi Sharma as the Dean at IoM.
“My protest is not against the person, but against political intervention in this institute,” he said, speaking to journalists on Monday. “I don’t know on what basis he was appointed but we have to establish a clean culture.”
Dr KC claimed that a mafia of private colleges and politicians had pressure the previous IOM management to provide affiliation to more colleges, despite an internal agreement to limit the number of affiliations and promote quality. He added that the management was facing blackmail and was not allowed to make critical decisions. Colleges in the controversy include Police Medical College, Kathmandu National College, Manmohan Medical College and People’s Dental College.
Former IoM dean Dr Prakash Sayami resigned on the issue about a month ago and Dr Sharma was appointed on 10 January. Dr. KC has demanded the government reinstate Dr. Sayami, end political interference in the institution and halt further affiliations to new private medical colleges. However, Dr Sharma has said that he is not a political appointee, but has taken the position on basis of experience and seniority.
“I will quit my profession if forced to resign from the position,” Dr Sharma said, speaking at a press conference at the Reporter’s Club on Tuesday. TUTH doctors, nurses, technicians and staffs have limited hospital services except in the emergency and OPD department, expressing solidarity to KC’s move.
