The main opposition Nepali Congress today condemned the government’s decision to charge people for COVID-19 test and treatment.

NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba issued a press release demanding repeal of the government’s decision. Deuba urged the government to provide free COVID test and treatment services to all citizens.

He stated in the press release that the government, which was supposed to play the role of a guardian in times of pandemic, had increased people’s suffering by charging them for COVID-19 test and treatment.

Deuba stated that the government’s decision showed that it was insensitive, irresponsible and not accountable to the public and it had deviated from its duty. He said it was citizens’ constitutional and legal right to receive free basic health services and the government should enforce this provision without any precondition. “The government’s decision is not only an extremely undemocratic step but also a violation of the Supreme Court order,” he added.

The post Free COVID treatment people’s right: Deuba appeared first on युग दर्पण.

He took a sip of juice from one of the patients at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital Maharajgunj to break his hunger strike on Sunday.

The agitating 63-year-old orthopaedic surgeon agreed to a deal at midnight on Saturday after the government agreed to address most of his demands related to medical education.

His 19th hunger strike that started in Jumla on September 14 became the longest one ever since his first protest in July 2012. The record earlier of 27 days was of his 15th hunger strike in July 2018.

The government has agreed to start MBBS and other courses at Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Jumla, from the next academic session and commence medical education from Geta Medical College in Kailali in Sudurpaschim Province and Rapti Academy of Health Sciences in Dang from Lumbini Province by February 2024.

As per the deal, the government will expedite the construction of the infrastructure to set up a government medical college in Bardibas, Mahottari in Province 2 with a target to start MBBS course by February 2024.

Similarly, the government has also agreed to start the construction of government medical colleges in Doti or Dadeldhura, Udaypur and Illam or Panchthar within this year and expedite construction of Ram Raja Prasad Singh Academy of Health Sciences in Saptari from Province 2.

The other points of agreement include expansion of polymerase chain reaction tests and increasing the capacity of the government hospitals for the treatment of Covid-19 and other diseases. The government has also agreed to allocate adequate budget for Bayalpata Hospital in Achham to help it provide free treatment.

Preparing a draft bill on higher education and an umbrella bill on medical education academies within three weeks with a provision of appointing office bearers at universities and the health academies in a fair manner are other agreements.

The government has agreed to appoint such office bearers on the basis of seniority and performance until a law is in place. An amendment to the National Medical Education Act is also a part of the agreement.

“The agencies under the Nepal government and other concerned agencies will implement the respective points of the agreement,” reads one of the points in the agreement.

The deal doesn’t clearly talk about KC’s yet another demand that corruption cases and properties of former and incumbent commissioners of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse Authority be investigated.

The post Dr Govinda KC breaks his fast after Saturday midnight deal with government appeared first on युग दर्पण.

Dhangadhi ,A 20-year-old construction worker Mina Pali of Krishnapur Municipality Ward No. 8 of Kanchanpur died after falling from the fourth floor of Geta Medical College on Monday.

Chief of the Area Police Office Malakheti and Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Bahadur Bista said that he died after falling from the fourth floor of the hospital building. Rabindra age 17, of Krishnapur Municipality, Ward No. 7 also lost his life due to an electric shock last month.

The post A construction worker at Geta Medical College dies at the construction site appeared first on युग दर्पण.

The incident follows rising tensions, and is the first deadly clash in the border area in at least 45 years.

The Indian army initially said three of its soldiers had been killed, adding that both sides suffered casualties.

But later on Tuesday, officials said a number of critically injured soldiers had died of their wounds.

India’s external affairs ministry accused China of breaking an agreement struck the previous week to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley.

BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says violence between two armies high up in the Himalayas is very serious, and pressure will grow on the two nuclear powers not to allow a slide into full-scale conflict.

What have both sides said about the incident ?

Early on Tuesday the Indian army said three of its soldiers, including an officer, had died in a clash in Ladakh, in the disputed Kashmir region.

Later in the day, it released a statement saying the two sides had disengaged.

China did not confirm any casualties, but accused India in turn of crossing the border onto the Chinese side.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said India had crossed the border twice on Monday, “provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides”, AFP news agency reported.

The post India-China clash: 20 Indian troops killed in Ladakh fighting appeared first on युग दर्पण.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Friday enacted the Medical Education Ordinance as sent by the Cabinet for approval.

The government was under pressure of medical education reform activist Dr Govinda KC to enact the law.

Besides other significant provisions, the law bars establishment of new medical college in the Kathmandu Valley for next 10 years as demanded by Dr KC.

The veteran orthopaedic surgeon had issued a seven-day warning to the President to implement the law at the earlier. He had threatened to stage another round of fast-unto-death if his demand was not heeded.

Dr KC has already staged 13 rounds of indefinite hunger strike demanding various reforms in Nepal’s medical education sector.

According to the constitution, the President can enact an ordinance to implement new laws in the absence of Parliament; but that has to be endorsed by the House within 60 days. Otherwise, the law automatically gets null and void.

The post President enacts Medical Education Ordinance appeared first on युग दर्पण.