KATHMANDU: The government has formed a four-member negotiation team to hold talks with Dr Govinda KC, who is on a hunger strike demanding reforms in medical education.
The team is coordinated by Jairam Adhikari, joint secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, and includes the member secretary of the Medical Education Commission, a representative of the Ministry of Health and Food Safety, and the deputy secretary of the ministry’s technical education division.
The government said it was committed to improving medical education, service delivery and governance, adding that differences over KC’s demands could be resolved through dialogue.
Regarding his demands, the government said medical programs at the Martyr Dasharath Chand National Health Sciences University in Geta, Kailali, had been approved after meeting infrastructure, academic staffing and legal requirements. A 300-bed teaching hospital is also operating at full capacity, with plans to expand its services.
The government said it would investigate concerns over the appointment and conduct of officials at the Medical Education Commission and universities. It also maintained that scholarship quotas and quality standards were being implemented under existing laws.
A task force has been formed to review the implementation of past agreements with KC, and its report is being drafted. The government also said action was underway over the arson, looting and vandalism reported across the country on September 9, 2025.
It added that work was underway to establish medical education institutions in Surkhet, Butwal and Bardibas, with additional budget arrangements being pursued to expand access across all provinces and regions.
