Remembering the “Protest at PAHS (Patan Hospital)”

Adjacent photograph is of Basic-Science Library of PAHS- School Of Medicine. I think, this is the liveliest place of our medical college. I don’t consider this place good to read, Few students do. I would rather borrow books and bring to my hostel. There are few students reading in library. Many are chatting in small groups. Some (including me) almost always visit this place to have a look at newspapers. Photocopying, Printing etc. are other important task to be done here. The didis (staffs) here are cool and very close to almost all of us. They are like a friend of us. Many of us visit the library once to just bid them a good morning. During vacations, one who can’t go home spends his/her most of time in this library. I remember a time, when this exciting and interesting place was completely silent. The tables and chairs, journals and book stacks, the environment was all same there. But there was no life, no liveliness. Everything was standstill. The didis of library were idle and alone for almost whole working hours. I am explaining, How did it happen…

It is easy to destroy good things but mostly very very difficult to make it, create it. There is a lot of admirable things in our hospital. Like- any patient coming to this hospital gets emergency treatment even if they can’t pay. This is only hospital where doctors prescribe only generic names of drugs and thus the pharmacy department supply drugs with best quality and lowest price. No Medical Representatives (MR) are allowed in this hospital. The medical school is dedicated to produce socially responsible physicians who would serve the poor in rural. etc. etc. Along with this, it is one of the 3 medical academies of the country. It is a tertiary health center with country’s 2^nd highest number of patient flow. The yearly budget is around 200 million and the social service (for poor patients who can’t pay) alone is of more than 20 million per year. From a business eye, this academy is like a cash cow. What will happen if this cow in own/leaded by someone who is interested in milking the cow rather than feeding it??? The protest in PAHS last year was a huge struggle of people against someone dedicated in milking this cow as much as she could and finally destroying it. Fortunately the protest had a happy ending. I am documenting what I saw and experienced as one of the more or less actively involved protestant during that chaos.

The VC (Vice Chancellor) is head of the university whose creativity, far sightedness and selflessness matters a lot to the path and vision of the university. The tenure of previous founding VC of PAHS had ended and people were eagerly waiting to welcome the new VC. One day news came that someone from another similar university/Institute at Dharan (BPKISH) was appointed our new VC. We were proud to know that we will have the first female VC of Nepal. Sadly news also reported that she is several times accused of corruption. Our friends studying at BPKIHS added even more about her bad nature. They also informed that, the news that she was leaving BPKIHS had made people there so happy that they threw a huge party.  There was a huge rumor that she got this post because of being close relative of a renowned politician Sarad Singh Bhandary. And the rumor was most likely true. Slowly, her actions at PAHS made it certain to everyone that she didn’t get the post because of her capability and neither was she a deserving candidate for it. The political power had overruled the concept of merit and seniority. This was the 1^st step of political cancer in PAHS and that cancer was sure to metastasize and kill PAHS one day. Exactly the way it killed Janakpur Cigarette Factory, Himal Cement etc. Fortunately we were able to prevent it.

We, first batch students were on preparation leave for our final exam of Basic Science. Basic Science is initial two year long course in medical school. Failing this final exam would drop the student to junior batch which would completely destroy his/her one year. Thus the exam was crucial and those preparation leave were of huge importance for us. One day I and a friend of mine met a professor of ‘Community Health Science’ department. We talked about exam etc. In the end I asked about the appointment of new VC. He said that they had just got the letter about the appointment and haven’t met or talked with her yet. We further told about the news being published regarding her bad and controversial background during her work at BPKIHS and during her study at IOM, Maharajgunj. Since she is already appointed by the Prime Minister, we had no options other than physical interruption like not letting her enter the academy and come in protest against the appointment. He said that we need not worry. She is here just for four years and the faculties and staffs are for long time. So she alone can’t change our mission, vision and goal. PAHS staffs have a high moral and huge dedication for disadvantaged and underprivileged people of Nepal. PAHS students are being made socially responsible and would serve those needy. Working with such people can change her and make her a good person by four years. We were amazed to see how optimistic he was. Let me tell you, few months later he was one among the leaders of the protest against the same VC.

We were preparing for exam and things were going all bad in hospital. Faculties wrote comminique (बिग्यप्ती) against her bad deeds in PAHS. After few days they protested by working with black band (कालो पट्टी) in hand. Still student had no information about things going on. Once I met our dean sir and talked. In PAHS, there is not much hierarchy and even senior officials are close and accessible to everyone. He asked me about preparation for exam. In the end of conversation, I asked about the protest in hospital and students not being informed about anything. He suggested not to think about it unless exam finishes. Involving students would hamper academic calendar so they want student to finish the exam first. After exam, we were supposed to use our conscience whether to take part or not to take part in the ongoing protest.

Though no one was telling us anything, frequent news about the doctor’s protest in our hospital made us understand things. The news were regarding the huge amount of two crore (20 million) rupees she gave to PM’s wife to be the VC of PAHS, her corrupt acts at BPKIHS, and physical assault (beating)by her  to an operator in IOM. Her disrespectful behavior to seniors and everyone, trying to bring procurement committee (खरिद समिती) of PAHS under her personal control, trying to change the dean of School of Medicine, appointing a friend of hers as rector of PAHS, her activities towards interference to the hospital cafeteria, hospital parking, and bank in hospital premises etc. All the things were related to money by one way or other. A health magazine reported that she was asking people to help her earn money she invested to be the VC. Kantipur daily wrote editorial for two times against her deeds. All of us were mentally prepared for our active participation after exam in the favor of faculties to protect our hospital. The next day of completion of exam, we had a student meeting in school and decided to actively take part in protest. We were huge mass of 175 young students. After we joined, the protest took pace.

We printed our communique in the name of students in the favor of protest. I and a friend of mine went to VC’s office to stick it in notice board there and also to hand over a copy of it to communication officer.  While we were talking to the communication officer the VC herself came in the door and started shouting very horrifyingly. A lady with that harsh voice made us really fearful. The friend of mine beside me tightly grasped my arms in fear. I was thinking, if this lady starts beating us here the way she did with someone in IOM, what can we do? The communication officer’s room is so congested and small that there is not even enough room to run away. Fortunately she didn’t. Some of sentences that I still I remember were- she asked to collect the names of student involved in protest. She would rusticate those students from the academy. Admission of all the students in 1^st year will be cancelled and new list of selected students will be published etc. etc.

These become hot topic of discussion among students. Unlike private medical collages, all the students at PAHS, even of full paying category, are selected on merit. So, does a VC have an authority to cancel the admission? Is she threatening us? etc. etc. This again sensitized the people and made us determined not to stop unless her appointment is cancelled. We talked to faculties and seized the keys of vehicles of PAHS that the VC and rector were using. In fact the driver dais were very close to us and they easily themselves handed over the keys to us. They even took out all the extra keys available and gave us. The faculties might have instructed them to do as we say. We still went to faculty’s room upstairs and informed them. Off course, they were happy with our deed. We hardly deed anything without permission of faculties during the protest.

In the meeting, we suggested to halt all the service except emergency. Our professors didn’t want to do that. The concern was public support could be lost if we halt the service or close the hospital. So we had to do things in creative way by neither losing the moral support of public nor hampering the goodwill of the hospital. Plenty of ideas came. Some of them were- running the emergency department in the open field of hospital. This was not accepted because of difficulty in management of infection control, oxygen and suction pipes etc. A professor of pediatric department suggested running the pediatric clinic in corridor of administration. The crying babies would irritate the VC and rector. But taking the sick kids in fourth floor was not easy. Other very strong idea was, mass resignation (सामुहिक रजिनामा) of all the doctors and faculties working in hospital. The protest committee decided to lock the VCs room from the next day. And keep the idea of mass resignation as next step. Since students stay in hostel and can come early, we were given the responsibility of coming hospital at 6am early morning and take care of lock in the VCs offices. Thus when VC and rector come at 8 am (normal time), they can’t go inside. Even if the VC comes earlier than us, we will ask her to come out and lock it. If she denies coming out, we will lock her inside. The doctors will return to see the patient in ward and OPD at 9 am and we will take care of lock. They will join us turn by turn during lunch and break time. Meeting was over with this decision.

We all students had a meeting in hostel that night, and we decided to go to hospital at 5 am, 1 hour earlier than scheduled time. Next morning we woke up early morning, went to all the rooms in hostel, wake up every one and reached hospital. When we reached there, scenario was completely different. There were some trucks and vans of cops in hospital. Cops were there all around. We came to know that the plan of padlock was known by the VC and she used her political and economic power to stop us. Thus the cops were guarding her office since previous night. They didn’t allow us to enter inside the hospital building. We didn’t know what to do. We phoned to some of our senior faculties and informed about the situation. They asked us to stay in canteen and not to do anything. By 7 am all the faculties arrived. Few vans of cops were added. Doctors decided to take the pamphlets, banners and go to VCs room to lock it. Few cops tried to stop us in ground floor. Dozens of faculties and more than 50 students were too much for them. We pushed them step by step to 4^th floor. All the cops gathered there. Though we were huge in number, we couldn’t put the trained cops aside. The situation became chaotic. Plenty of patient party accumulated. I remember dean sir telling, “I am dean, the dean’s office is beside VC’s office. How can u stop me from going to my own office?” all of us burst into laughter.

The push and pull went on for more than an hour. Some news reporter arrived and started to shoot. Some faculties made contact with the Chief District Officer (CDO). Students not staying in hostel slowly arrived and joined us. Staffs as well started to come and many of them joined us. The staffs working in canteen brought water for us. Things were getting more and more unjust. They said that they are ordered not to allow us to padlock the VC’s office in any cost. A doctor replied that in that case, we won’t work and get out of hospital. And let them take care of VC office as well as patients of hospital. Obviously there was no reply. In every interval of 5-15 minutes, students would accumulate energy and push all the cops aside. And again they would push us back. It was really funny for time being. I remember dean sir threatening the in-charge of the cops that if anything bad happens to his students he won’t spare them. The police were getting harsher. Now it was felt that they would use stick to beat. Students got even angrier and were almost ready to fight back. At the meantime, doctors stopped us and stepped ahead.  I remember a professor of surgery whispered in my ears, “babu, they might start लाठी चार्ज now, so you guys get back and let us go front." We did same but started नाराबाजी against VC, government, cops and corruption. The cops went out of control. And a sort of fight started. A junior student was hit. Stethoscope of a doctor was thrown by the cops. My own apron (white coat) was tore. Cops were still silent compared to how they generally are in such chaos, probably because they were in hospital premises. Finally the team who went to talk to CDO came to negotiation that they would allow us to lock the office and then we should leave letting them break the lock. Both the party agreed and same happened. What a drama!!

I remember a scene in Janakpur that I saw during Madhes Aandolan. I was in the roof of my rented house. The protesters came in huge mass from one side. Plenty of police came from the other side. There was attack. Everybody ran away helter-skelter. And there were many low quality, cheap slippers in the road. There were no costly or good slippers. It reflects what type of people was there in the protest. This is normal scenario in protest where poor people are in road fighting with the police and so called leaders are enjoying in air conditioned rooms. Would any leader ask the protester in danger to come back and let him face it, the way that surgeon and other doctors did with us??

 

The scene of this protest in our hospital was broadcasted in television. My parents saw me in the front row in television. They phoned me and advised to do as the faculties say. That was a huge inspiration for me. Probably it happened same with many other friends too. From next day cops didn’t come. VC herself never again came to Patan Hospital. She instead booked a costly room in ‘Greenwich Hotel’ and started doing PAHS activities from there. We heard that she spent 2 million rupees in few junior staffs of hospital to help to stop the protest. There were plenty of criminal like muscular men inside the hospital rented by her (भाडा का गुण्डा) to mess with us, faculties, doctors, staffs etc. If any bad incident had happened then in hospital, they might have attacked us badly. Faculties started lobbing from different aspect to kick the VC out of PAHS. Some even were lobbying to manage some better post like ambassador (राजदूत) for her so that she would herself leave PAHS. Some were repeatedly visiting the Prime Minister (PM) and Health Minister to suspend her. Even PM was very positive towards PAHS. He was well known to the goodwill of PAHS and Patan hospital. He informed that after she was recommended for VC, he waited for more than two weeks to sign it. But nobody from PAHS approached by any means so he declared the appointment. I remembered, few months back, when VC was to be selected for BPKIHS Dharan, they published ad in national newspaper that they won’t accept if someone out of BPKIHS is appointed as VC. I wonder, if any such thing was done by PAHS, this trouble would have never come. We student as well went to different student union office. All of them sent us letter in written that they would help us the way we ask. Faculties didn’t allow us to call those union people in hospital because the union might ask us make student-union in PAHS. They were worried that student politics would enter inside PAHS and would harm the teaching-learning activities the way it is happening in other universities. Written letter of support (ऐकेबध्यता) was received from different medical collages, student council, doctors and professors council etc. Dr Govinda KC who did hunger strike in IOM during similar problem of political appointment, himself came to encourage us during the protest.

We student separately made a struggle committee with about 50 active members. We selected one of the most active students during the protest as a president of committee. We also raised fund from ourselves for the protest. During meeting, we made a list of our demand with the government. One of the most important was, invalidate the rule of appointing VC of university by the PM or government. The issue was really genuine but who was going to listen to us? Obviously no one.

There was almost no gain for weeks. Things were all freezed. There was a pause everywhere. The whole academy looked standstill. Things were uncertain. How long would it take for the outcome? Nobody knew. VC didn’t dare to come again. But our classes were halt and hospital was running. Doctors were busy. It was almost for sure that the VC will be kicked out by one way or other, but when? Many students even started talking about resuming classes since there is no need of us. Others claimed that resuming classes will make us busy and protest will get weak. Some other student including me were advocating for active protest and fast result. In a meeting, when faculties were again talking about same old things. I came up with loud voice that VC’s office is locked which nobody sees, hospital is running well, doctors are working well, everything is going normal, then where the protest is? Why are our classes being halted? Why are we students alone being hampered? Either we should go to next step of mass resignation or hunger-strike otherwise classes should be resumed. A professor from department of obstetrics and gynecology added that students are telling right and they should start collecting signatures for mass resignation. I still regret for my harsh voice that day. There were complex and personal reason for me to get hyperactive, but I was not supposed to be so. They all were our teachers. They have got the responsibility to train us. All of them must have forgotten that small mistake by now. Still it was a breach of discipline by me and I am supposed not to forget the lesson from that error.

Whatever anybody interprets, faculties leading the protest had known that VC can’t be kicked out by this means and she is not going to resign by herself at any cost. She would rather work as VC in Greenwich hotel for four years and never coming to PAHS. So they had decided to go legally. Legal process was, 25% of senate member should register complain of impeachment (महाअभियोग को प्रस्ताब). Then ministry would form an investigation committee. If investigation committee found her guilty then voting will held among senate members. If 51% or more voted against her, then she is legally kicked out. There are many other lifetime effects of being kicked out by this manner, so faculties tried their best to make her resign herself. So that she can at least fight for other better post in life. But we couldn’t succeed to make her resign.

When the process of collecting senate members started, Kumvakarna (कुम्भकर्ण ~ Sleeping) VC suddenly woke up. She understood that her power, politics, money and rented criminals couldn’t do anything more for her. It was too late by then and she didn’t have anything remaining to do. The biggest group taking part in protest was the students. Probably she made some plans with the rector. Then they came to our student hostel in a late evening. The student hostel has five buildings and canteen in the center. They came to canteen and asked hostel staffs to call all the students in canteen. The news spread within seconds among the student that VC and rector were there in hostel. Nobody knew what to do. Being the senior most students, we had to decide what to do. Before coming to decision, we phoned some senior faculties. Some suggested to meet them other suggested not meeting them.  With no confusion, we instantly decided not meeting them. When no student was in her support, she lied to media that plenty of students are in her favor. Now if we meet her, no matter what happens she will interpret it as her victory so we concluded that no one will go to canteen even for dinner till late night. At least 1 student in each floors of 5 buildings were phoned about the plan. Student out of hostel were phoned not to come hostel for time being. The rector called someone in ground floor and politely said, “Won’t you even meet us?” he replied that everyone is busy studying and don’t have any time to meet them. Moreover they need not expect anyone to help. After some time, they left. We again informed our faculties about the incident and again, definitely the admired our deeds.

Out of 24 senate members, 7 (>25%) registered complain of impeachment and investigation committee was formed by ministry. She was now legally suspended. She filed a case in court against everyone in PAHS. The hospital lawyers were seeing it. Our class resumed. We started clinical year with 1^st week of nursing week where student work with nurses. Everything came to normal. After few days, we went to hospital at 7am (normal time for nursing week) for class/duty. Much to our shock and surprise, there were again plenty of cops in hospital. It took no time for us to assume that VC has again used power. Cops have already broken the lock in office and she is coming today in PAHS as VC. Faculties were already informed. Media personals were called. There held emergency meeting of doctors. We all the students and plenty of staff again went to administration to lock it. Again same chaos, same fight. All these were live telecasted by television. Thus VC didn’t dare to come. This was the last day we acted for protest. From next day cops didn’t come, those rented criminals (भाडा का गुण्डा) were not seen any more in hospital. The investigation committee started its work and found enough written evidences against her. She was proved guilty. Senate voting was held. 100% of present members (14 nos i.e. 59%) voted against her. After around a month, a professor from department of surgery was appointed as our VC by the PM, a professor from Department of Community Health Science was appointed as rector and everything went fine.

After a fight, no matter what result is, the related people always loose something. Both the ex VC and Rector resigned from BPKIHS as well and are fighting in Supreme Court against PAHS. The staffs loosed harmony among themselves. It took a good time to all of them come together. Especially those junior staffs who were thought to be taking VC’s side because of money she spent in them. These guys had some conflicts with PAHS administration for salary and other facilities from long back. These are political labor unions who always try to do something to show their presence (hardly anything creative). They do stood against us, but not openly. Gradually they understood that the protest was in the favor of the hospital, to save the sanctity and uniqueness of this institute, to save this academy from being like other medical collage working to make money alone. Finally everything is good now (except few for our junior batches, regarding their student’s feedbacks and community postings, which I will talk later). We students as well loosed all our vacations because of time elapsed in protest. Our one week long sports week was also cancelled and sports were held in Saturdays. We will not get any leave in big festivity of Tihar this year. About a year has passed but students from out of Kathmandu haven’t ever got any time to visit their homes yet. If we question on it, there is straight reply that nobody called us in protest. We went by ourselves being self-motivated. So we ourselves have to pay for it. Another more important thing is, if we ask for those vacations and sports, our 6 year long course will get even longer, are we ready for it? Off course not. Let me repeat “After a fight, no matter what the result is, the related people always loose something.” We too did. These will pass, what we learned from protest was amazing and a life time experience…….