'Everyone should have access to medical treatment'

BY KEDAR TIMSINA,Kavrepalanchowk,Aug,1: Health and Population Minister Mohan Bahadur Basnet has said that no citizen should die in lack of funds for treatment. Speaking at the second 'Essential Life Saving Basic Life Support Day programme organised by Dhulikhel Hospital on Monday, Minister Basnet said that every citizen should have access to essential medical treatment. 

"Even today, some citizens are forced to commit suicide in lack of medical expenses," he said. "The present government has taken the initiative to provide basic health services to the citizens." 

Minister Basnet said that it was essential to properly manage the chaotic healthcare system of the country. He said that the government was dedicated to providing free healthcare services to the poor and needy citizens within next two years, with the long-term goal of extending free basic healthcare services to all citizens within next five years.

Minister Basnet also said the increased risk of dengue across the country was caused due to changing weather patterns. He informed that the government had already arranged doctors and medicines for dengue prevention.

Regarding the tendency of high-ranking individuals in Nepal to seek medical treatment abroad instead of trusting local experts, Minister Basnet said that they had already made provisions for two beds for VVIPs and three beds for VIPs, along with a team of 15 specialized doctors to attend to various diseases.

He urged citizens to trust the expertise of doctors within the country, stating that Nepal's doctors receive recognition from international teams, and that it was essential to have faith in their knowledge and skills. 

He said that since there were more pharmacies than pharmacists in Nepal, the government had simultaneously monitored pharmacies across the country. He said that during the monitoring it was found that some pharmacy operators were running pharmacies in an unregulated manner.

Minister Basnet informed that after assuming the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, 3,323 beds were allocated in 16 federal hospitals to provide free treatment to poor and needy citizens.

To enhance public health protection, Minister Basnet emphasized the importance of basic health defense training. He said that the ministry would support such training programmes across the country to save numerous lives.

Speaking on the founding of Dhulikhel Hospital 26 years ago, Prof. Dr. Ramkantha Makaju Shrestha, the hospital's founder, stated that providing quality healthcare services at an affordable price was a significant challenge at that time. 

He said that Dhulikhel Hospital was an exemplary institution proving that quality healthcare could be provided with strong determination. The hospital has been serving numerous citizens through health insurance.

Dr. Rajendra Konju, the hospital's director, stressed the importance of basic health protection training to prevent premature deaths due to heart failure. He asserted that many lives could be saved by providing this training to healthcare workers, army personnel, police officers, citizens, ambulance drivers, vehicle drivers, and ordinary citizens.