Health centres asked to stay prepared for emergency

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, June 24; Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet has directed all the health centres to stay prepared for emergency cases during disasters as well as for communicable diseases seen during the monsoon.

Minister Basnet gave the directive while inaugurating a two-day national workshop on emergency medical team (EMT) in Lalitpur on Friday. The workshop is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Health and Population and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“Rather than reacting after disaster hit, we should always stay prepared,” said Minister Basnet.

He added that the government had already sent medicines and equipment to the disaster-prone areas. 

“Resources have been kept in stock in some risky areas to tend to the would-be displaced and injured individuals from disasters at the earliest,” he added.

Citing that there was always a lack of budget to support health facilities during the time of emergencies, Minister Basnet informed that he was lobbying to establish a separate fund for the purpose.

Addressing the programme, Dr. Dipendra Raman Singh, director general at the Department of Health Services (DoHS), informed that the ministry had prepared 25 hospitals across the country as a centre for emergency situations.

“National Emergency Operation Centres are working to tackle challenges during emergencies in all the provinces. 

They are being led by the chiefs of the respective province’s health directorate,” said Dr. Singh.

Dr. Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO representative to Nepal, also stressed the need for proper management of resources and manpower to tackle emergency situations.

“Medicines, medical equipment and manpower should be properly managed in the time of emergencies. The WHO will support the Nepal government in every possible way to tackle the challenges,” said Dr. Pandav.

Health personnel, chiefs of health directorates, focal persons and other high-level health officials were present in the two-day workshop.