Kathmandu, Mrigaula pidiy haru dwara maag pura nabhaye aatma daha garne chetawani. July 30, Five kidney patients, who are on relay strike for the last 52 days, have warned of self-immolation if their demands are not met within August 5. The patients, on strike under the banner of National Kidney Patients Association (NKPA), have put forth demands for the treatment of the patients and warned that they would self-immolate in front of the health ministry. NKPA chairperson Chintamani Pokharel said that as they were going to lose huge amount of money in treatment anyway, they had no option but to set themselves on fire so that some policy would be brought for the relief for future kidney patients. The patients on strike are Chintamani Pokharel, 63, of Nijgadh VDC-7, Bara, Giri Prasad Pun, 51, of Pandavkhani VDC-6, Baglung, Geeta Shrestha Bhaktapur Municipality-8, Bhaktapur, Asman Tamang, 41, of Khandadevi VDC-6, Ramechhap and Prem Bahadur BK of Butwal Municipality-4, Rupandehi. The patients, holding relay strike at Shanti Batika in Kathmandu, told INSEC district representative that if the existing infrastructure were improved, the cost of dialysis would significantly come down. Saying that at present, it takes Rs 3,000 for each dialysis at government hospital, Pokharel claimed that the cost can be Rs 3,000 for first time dialysis while from second time to fifth time, it can be decreased to Rs 580, Rs 1180, 580 and that only on sixth time, and then charge could again be Rs 3,000. The kidney patients know how to conduct dialysis, so the provisions for home dialysis should be created, he demanded. He further suggested permission to insure human organs and to use the collected insurance money as part of fund to support the patients. They have been staging relay strike since June 10 and have lost five people who were also on the relay strike. They include Shyam Khadki who died on June 17, Shyam Khatri Chhetri died on June 30, Natibhai Dangol died on July 14, Pashuram Shrestha on July 15 and Sarkbir Tamang on July 19. Their demands including life-time treatment support to kidney patients, immediate and free of cost kidney transplant wherever possible, free of cost pathology services and medicines and identifying them as disabled and providing any amenities entitled to the disabled people.