Doctors have said it will be risky to keep Dr Govinda KC, who is into the ninth day of the hunger strike, in Ilam.
Doctors, who reached Ilam on Wednesday and conducted tests and checkup on Dr KC, have said Ilam Hospital does not have necessary infrastructure and facilities if his health suddenly deteriorates further. They have, therefore, urged that Dr KC be shifted to a hospital with better facilities and infrastructure.
A team of six doctors including those from the BP Koirala Institute of Health Science, Dharan did checkup of Dr KC Wednesday evening. "We had gone along with equipment to do checkup. Many health problems were seen after conducting checkup," senior cardiologist Prashant Sah told Setopati.
"We have prepared a nine-point statement on his health and submitted it. We have also handed a letter to the hospital and Health Ministry mentioning the complexities that can arise."
Blood glucose has plummeted to a very low level, according to Dr Sah. "His glucose level is lower than 50 milligrams per deciliter. People faint and their brain may stop functioning if the blood glucose level drops below 50 mg/dl in normal human beings," he elaborated. "He is speaking even now perhaps due to the capacity built over many rounds of hunger strike. But he can pass out anytime. There can be problem in respiration."
His oxygen saturation is also falling. Dr Shah said the oxygen saturation level, that is usually above 95 percent for healthy persons, is around 80 percent and it is fluctuating by the hour. His blood albumin level is 3.3 gram/dl. The normal range for healthy human beings is 3.4-5.9 gram/dl.
"His legs have started to swell due to lack of albumin. White blood cell count is also falling. There will be higher chance of infection in the body if both protein (albumin and globulin) and WBC levels fall," Dr Sah stated. "This can wreak havoc on the body soon and can lead to pneumonia."
Dr KC was on a medicine to regulate heartbeats before starting the fast. "He has discontinued it due to the fast. The heartbeats, therefore, are getting irregular. It falls down to 35 beats per minute at times and then suddenly shoots up to 200," Dr Sah revealed. "There are also other problems. Accumulation of toxins in his body has increased and that can lead to heart failure at any moment."
He said Dr KC's health has deteriorated very much and keeping him in Ilam will be risky. "Ilam Hospital lacks infrastructure. A ventilator is necessary to help in respiration if a person faints. The hospital does not have ventilators," he said.
"It will be difficult to treat him by sending a team of specialists. It will be risky to give medication for heart without monitoring his heartbeats."
Sah said serious problems started in Dr KC's health on the sixth day of the fast this time as his body has become weaker. "His health is under a great risk. He should be taken to a safe hospital with facilities to provide timely treatment and to prevent his life from coming under threat."
Dr KC was shifted to Ilam Hospital on Monday after starting his fast at the vacant building of the Urban Development Project on January 9.
Dr KC had suffered from chest pain, cough and other problems from the second day itself, and was shifted to the hospital after his heartbeats became irregular from Sunday.
Dr KC has demanded that the agreement the government signed with him before ending his 15th fast-unto death on July 26, 2018 be implemented to the letter.
The Medical Education Bill, passed by the Education and Health Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) on the basis of majority despite opposition of four NC lawmakers, mainly violated three agreements signed with Dr KC.
The provision prohibiting a university from giving affiliation to more than five medical colleges has been weakened in the bill adding that those outside the Kathmandu Valley that have acquired letter of intent (LOI) can be given affiliation by the Tribhuvan University and the Kathmandu University.
B&C Hospital in Birtamode, Jhapa has acquired LOI from the Kathmandu University, that has already provided affiliation to at least five medical colleges, to operate a medical college.
The bill endorsed on Wednesday will pave the way for immediate affiliation to B&C. The agreement mentioned medical colleges to be opened outside Kathmandu Valley will have to comply with the policies to be formulated by the Medical Education Commission meaning B&C would have to wait for formation of the commission, and formulation of policies by the commission to get affiliation.
The second is formation of the all-powerful commission for regulation of medical education and to formulate policies about the sector. Dr KC suspects that the bill passed on Wednesday mentioned Medical Education University to undermine the commission.
The third is the issue of Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) that the government had agreed to phase out within five years as the Health Ministry has already announced it will not recruit human resources with qualification of just certificate level. But the bill passed Wednesday states that the CTEVT will continue until the government so wishes.
