Four people have postponed their hunger strike after the agreement was reached between Madhesi Morcha Saptari and Gajendra Narayan Singh Zonal Hospital in Rajbiraj on November 29. The strike was postponed after reaching a 27 point written agreement. The dialogue team member Ramgaman Shah of Morcha said that the strike was postponed after the hospital committed to address most of their demands. Four people have postponed their hunger strike however one of the protestors is still on hunger strike. Bikash Tiwari, central chairperson of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Gajendrabadi) continues his strike accusing the dialogue team of attempting to abduct the hunger strike by doing agreement against the mandate. They were staging a hunger strike since November 23 demanding the reformation of hospital. मधेसी मोर्चा सप्तरी र राजविराजस्थित गजेन्द्रनारायण सिंह सगरमाथा अञ्चल अस्पतालबिच मङ्सिर १४ गते २७ बुँदे लिखित सहमति पछि चार जनाले अनसन स्थगित गरेका छन् । अस्पतालले पुरा गर्न सक्ने अधिकांश मागहरू तत्कालै तथा केही मागहरू निश्चित अवधिभित्र पुरा गर्ने र बाँकी मागहरूका लागि स्वास्थ्य मन्त्रालयमा पहल गर्ने सहमतिपछि अनसन स्थगित गरिएको मोर्चाको वार्ता टोली सदस्य रामगमन साहले बताए । चारजनाले अनसन स्थगित गरेता पनि मोर्चाका वरिष्ठ सल्लाहकार तथा नेपाल सद्भावना पार्टी गजेन्द्रवादीका केन्द्रीय अध्यक्ष विकास तिवारीले भने आमरण अनसनलाई निरन्तरता दिएका छन् । सहमतिप्रति असन्तुष्टि जनाउँदै उनले वार्ता टोलीले म्याण्डेटविपरित सहमति गरी अनसन अपहरण गर्ने प्रयास गरेको आरोप लगाए । अस्पतालको सुधारको माग गर्दै मङ्सिर ८ गतेदेखि तिवारी तथा मङ्सिर ९ गतेदेखि सरिता गिरी नेतृत्वको नेसपाका जिल्ला अध्यक्ष एवम् मोर्चाका जिल्ला संयोजक सुबी यादव, नेकपा माओवादी केन्द्रका केन्द्रीय सदस्य एवम् मोर्चाका सचिव प्रभाकर सिंह तथा मोर्चाका सचिवालय सदस्यहरू एवम् नेसपा गजेन्द्रवादीका केन्द्रीय सदस्यहरू जयसुन्दर खिडहरी यादव र सावित्री पण्डित आमरण अनसनमा बसेका थिए । चारजनाले बिरामी बालकको हातबाट जुस खाएर अनसन तोडेका छन् भने तिवारीले नेसपा गजेन्द्रवादीको व्यानरमुनी अनसनलाई निरन्तरता दिएका छन् । Update..... Another man on fast-unto-death seeking better health care for poor “There is quota, but no doctor. There is income, but no expenditure. There are tools but no use.” This is how Bikash Tiwari, who is on fast-unto-death with a 22-point demand, explains the condition of government health facilities. “Thousands of poor people visit government health facilities in hope of getting treatment, but there they just get further suffering. Where are the poor supposed to go for treatment?” he questioned. Tiwari who has been staging the fast-unto-death in front of the Gajendra Narayan Singh Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital of Rajbiraj for the last 13 days showed worrying health signs on Saturday. Following this, he was administered with saline water. However, he is adamant that he would not take a break until and unless the government comes up with short and long term solutions for addressing the problems with government health facilities. “Ensuring basic health facilities to all people is all what I am demanding. Unless that is guaranteed by the government, I will not break the fast,” he asserted. His peaceful protest under a tree within the hospital premises steals attention of many. Some even meet him and offer their support. However, concerned authorities have shown no interest in his protest so far. “Government hospitals are run in the name of poor and for that hospital authorities receive a lot of facilities and resource. But why does it not reach the poor?” “This misery is not only that of Saptari. It is just the same all over Madhes. You visit government hospital for treatment but they refer you to private institutions, where poor people cannot afford treatment” Tiwari stated. It is not that Tiwari was not aware of all these earlier. However, recently, he had to face it directly when his son fell ill. Friends and family members had suggested him to take his son to a private hospital, but Tiwari reached out to the zonal hospital. “I did know that services in government health facilities are not quick and efficient. However, I did not expect so much of sluggishness and carelessness,” said Tiwari. “During the 10 days of stay at the hospital for treating my son, I witnessed the negligent and some times rude behavior of poor people by hospital authorities. It is disgusting,” he added. Without selling of land or taking loan, it is not possible for a commoner to recover even from a minor ailment Tiwari said pointing to the steep health treatment costs in private health facilities. “My fast-unto-death is purely for those poor people whose health rights the government has guaranteed just on papers.” What saddens Tiwari most is that the poor people are not getting due service even when the state is actually releasing budget in their name. Government hospitals lack management and massive embezzlement of funds have left the hospitals in a sorry state, he claimed. “If these issues are addressed, many people could live healthier life.” During the 10 days of stay in the hospital Tiwari’s son never got food as prescribed by the doctors. The toilets were littered to such an extent that none could be used. There was lack of drinking water. “I also saw that pregnant women were treated harshly, they were deprived of free services and were made to pay for services which they should recieve for free,” he said adding that “the hospital is not operating the way it should be in lack of proper leadership.” Tiwari could not take this all and decided to go on fast-unto-death to protest and correct it. He believes that the concerned body will open eyes and address the problem. “The goal is to hit the apathetic attitude of the government towards the poor people and create an environment where even the people without much asset or money get better health services,” he said. Social worker and Rajbiraj based journalist Shiva Hari Bhattarai informed that Tiwari is gaining public support though the government has not yet shown any interest in the protest. According to him, Tiwari’s health is deteriorating. “Yesterday, he was given saline water. His health is worsening day by day,” he said. “His mission is for all. Basically for poor, we all must support him,” he added. He is the first person in the district to wedge war against the deprivation of poor from health facilities by opting for fast-unto-death, Bhattarai said. “He has raised 22-point demands that include long and short term issues and their solutions. The hospital can immediately fulfill few of them,” he informed. Among those who have expressed solidarity with Tiwari is Shailendra Shah, central member of Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum. Stating that the noble act of Tiwari cannot be ignored, he urged the hospital authority and the government to break its silence on the matter.