Many surgeons give back to their communities by providing free services or contributing to worthy healthcare causes.
But there is one orthopedic surgeon in Nepal who is literally giving his life.
Professor Dr. Govinda KC from the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Katmandu, Nepal, began his ninth hunger strike on September 26, 2016.
He is continuing to demand reforms in the government’s medical education policies.
Dr. KC was going to begin his hunger-strike a week earlier, but postponed it after receiving positive signs from the government about meeting his four main demands, including endorsement of medical education bill currently before the parliament, impeachment of two government officials, implement a new medical education fee and scrap a committee comprising representatives of private medical colleges.
The government agreed to three demands but balked at the impeachment demand. So Dr. KC made good on his ultimatum.
He had just ended the eighth fast-unto-death on July 25 after signing the four-point agreement with the government.
Reformer, Activist and Surgeon
Dr. KC has been a respected and public campaigner against alleged corruption and undue political influence over medical college affiliations in the country. His strategy has included several lengthy personal hunger strikes, which have received extensive media coverage, and successfully pressured the authorities to make some changes.
He began one of his hunger strikes in January 2014, objecting to the political appointment of a new dean of their institute of medicine, which did not reflect seniority, as well as several other grievances. To support him, the medical association of Nepal shut down hospitals, except the emergency services, across the country. The association then called for the mass resignation of doctors country-wide. Almost a hundred doctors and professors resigned. The doctors announced free medical camps at public places. Dr. KC then agreed to break his hunger strike.
He began another hunger strike after the Nepalese government reneged on an agreement with him and his movement that the opening of new medical colleges would be based on the recommendation of specialists.
Dr. KC was up against powerful politicians in the Constituent Assembly who threatened to topple the government if their demands that they get to choose the affiliations were not met.
The government gave in to the political threat and Dr. KC began his latest strike.
Dr. KC
Dr. KC initially studied to become a Health Assistant at Nepal’s Institute of Medicine. After completing his H.A. he won a Ministry of Education scholarship to study for a M.B.B.S. in Bangladesh at Rajshahi Medical College. He then returned to Nepal’s Bir Hospital. He then received an (M.S.) in Bangladesh at Dhaka University to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Dr. KC’s health has reportedly been failing and remains a hero to his supporters
According to Raju Gurung, author of, “Social Studies and Creative Art Book 5, ” Dr. KC went to the most rural clinics of Nepal, often traveling there on foot. He has trained health workers in rural Nepal to identify orthopedic emergencies, provide emergency treatment and provide referrals. He also organized health camps in remote places. He would provide medications to patients and then make arrangements to give free medical treatment when they come for further treatment in Kathmandu. He has faced allegations of being a spy or an insurgent when he worked during the Maoists’ insurgency. When there was an outbreak of cholera in Nepal some years ago, many doctors refused to go to the rural areas. But Dr. KC reportedly carried medicine on his back to provide humanitarian aid.
Dr. KC is unmarried and lives within the hospital quarters. He has his mother, two brothers and a laptop. When asked in a television interview to list three priorities in his life, he listed service to patients and his students—and no third priority.
In bad health, he is now undertaking his ninth hunger strike. This is one orthopedic surgeon giving all there is to give.
