Health Ministry’s annual progress: Health Minister claims attaining remarkable achievements despite limited resources

Kathmandu, July 21: The Ministry of Health and Population here today made public a summary of its major accomplishments since the incumbent government completed one year in office recently.

Organising a press conference, Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel asserted that the Ministry had made notable progress despite limited resources. According to him, cooperation among the three-tier government was further enhanced to find clarity in resolving the longstanding issues relating to employee adjustment within the Ministry and its subordinate bodies.

Furthermore, he shared that efforts were coordinated among the three-tier government in dealing with dengue outbreaks, disasters, vaccination campaigns, emergency preparedness and operating primary hospitals across all local levels. The Minister informed that the proposal of recruiting 2,100 new human resources in the Ministry, made after the Organisation and Management (ONM)’s survey, has made its way to the Council of Ministers, and more than a dozen new legislations were being finalised.

“The health insurance system has been radically improved with arrangements for an online system for renewal of health insurance, removal of the hassle of repeated referral for patients of chronic diseases and reduction of insurance period to one,” he highlighted. The Minister said that a new provision has been implemented wherein the patients of various eight types of complex diseases, such as cancer, kidney-related ailments and spinal injury, will be provided with up to Rs 200,000 under the service insurance.

The Minister of Health and Population has so far constructed 113 primary hospitals across local levels, while 55 hospitals are ready for operation. Among the other notable achievements of the Ministry is the operation of a two-shift OPD service in the federal hospitals to ensure quality healthcare services to as many patients as possible, he added. The public hospitals have started providing free medical treatment and medicine distribution to patients of paralysis, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and hemophilia, among others, Minister Paudel said.

The Ministry also recently launched the National Population Policy-2082 BS, aimed at making the country’s population balanced, systematic and inclusive. “We are committed to ensuring quality, accessible and sustainable health services. By next year, we aim to complete our reform campaign, which will lay the foundation for long-term transformation of the country’s health sector,” the Minister expressed his confidence.