Govt to be Established 5 to 15-bed Hospitals in 649 Local Levels:
The foundation stone of the hospital will be laid at 649 local levels across the country on the 15th of Mansir. The government is laying the foundation stone of the hospital building as per the policy of constructing 5-bed to 15-bed hospitals at all local levels to ensure access of all citizens to quality basic health services.
The decision was taken at a meeting between officials of the two ministries on Kartik 2 in the presence of Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel and Health and Population Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal.
In a statement issued on Monday, Finance Ministry spokesperson Rameshwor Dangal said that budget has been provided for the construction of the hospital at all 649 local levels. The structure of basic hospitals is already in place at the local level.
The Ministry of Health and Population will prepare the design for the construction of the hospital building and make it available at all local levels. The ministry had stated that the necessary resources and budget have been prepared to make basic hospitals in all the municipalities last August. All the municipalities were instructed to prepare for the operation of the hospital in the existing structure within a year. However, the decision has not been implemented due to the non-availability of medical supplies including doctors and health workers.
The meeting between the officials of the two ministries has urged the Ministry of Health to move ahead with the action plan prepared for the immediate purchase of ICU, ventilator, and other equipment required for the prevention and control of COVID-19. The Ministry of Finance will manage the financial management of the implementation of the action plan.
Likewise, the meeting decided that the Ministry of Finance will coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Population to ensure the supply of vaccine services against COVID-19. According to a press release issued by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, Dangal will take diplomatic and other initiatives in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It has been decided that the Ministry of Health and Population will take immediate action to make timely amendments to the existing Drugs Act to manage the use of emergency medicines. Earlier, on the recommendation of the Nepal Health Research Council, the Department of Drug Management had made an emergency decision to open the import of Remedicivir. Remedicivir, a drug used in complex patients infected with COVID-19, was imported by emergency decision.
