Bheri Hospital’s health insurance scheme monitored after complaints

By Sirja Khan,Nepalgunj, May 24: Bheri Hospital's health insurance services underwent scrutiny following numerous complaints from insured patients, shedding light on areas needing improvement. Patients voiced grievances ranging from rude staff behaviour to inadequate medication distribution during monitoring conducted by a coalition of stakeholders including local health committees, district representatives, and journalists.

Project coordinator Samad Siddiqui highlighted the broader context, citing the provision of health insurance to sanitation workers and farmers in the region under an occupational and environmental health initiative supported by MDM France.

During the inspection, the monitoring team precisely examined various hospital departments, engaging with hospital management to address concerns. 

Discussions revealed a consensus among participants regarding the urgent need for service enhancements, emphasising the importance of ongoing monitoring and feedback mechanisms.

The monitoring involved representatives from various entities, including the local-level health insurance coordination committee, the district health insurance ward, the president of a prominent group, representatives of the sub-metropolitan health branch, as well as representatives from MDM France and journalists.

Siddiqui disclosed that under the occupational and environmental health support project, health insurance has been extended to 1,031 individuals, comprising 729 sanitation workers and 302 farmers from Nepalgunj, Khujura, and Duduwa.

Meanwhile, 243 vaccination centres have been established across Banke district to administer the IPV vaccine against polio to 35,705 children. The initiative, slated from May 26  to June 8 under the National Vaccination Programme, aims to immunise children born between May 2073 and October 2075. 

Naresh Shrestha, the focal person of the Health Office Banke, disclosed that while the centre aimed to vaccinate 28,251 children, local levels exceeded expectations by gathering 35,705 children through health institutions and schools. With preparations finalised, 30,800 vaccine doses have already arrived, with plans to procure an additional 4,905 doses. 

Angad Bahadur Shahi, Head of the Health Office Banke, confirmed the establishment of 243 vaccination centres across all eight local levels, to vaccinate 35,269 school children and 436 out-of-school children.

 To ensure success, the Health Office organised orientation conferences at the district and ward levels, engaging officials, journalists, and volunteers. 

Representatives from the World Health Organisation, alongside local authorities, emphasized community cooperation for a successful vaccination campaign. Security agencies and health institution heads also participated in the preparatory programme, highlighting the collective effort required for polio eradication.