Kathmandu, June 4: The Kathmandu
Metropolitan City (KMC) has arranged 374 beds at 52 hospitals for the free
treatment of helpless and poor people.
The private hospitals are obliged
to allocate minimum 10 percent beds and free treatment to the helpless and
indigent people as per KMC's edict.
Public health inspector at health
department of KMC, Dhanendra Shrestha, informed that, so far, 70 patients
benefitted from the scheme launched last February. Most of those receiving the
service are from out of the capital city.
After the private hospitals flouted
legal provisions, the KMC introduced a free treatment work procedure, 2080 and
brought to strict implementation.
The KMC has also managed a system
where the availability of beds, treatment services and other schemes at private
hospitals can be checked online. Some of such indigent patients were discharged
after treatment while some still undergoing treatment.
Shrestha further informed that most
of such patients are suffering from ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems, and
kidney disease, while some had respiratory and eye problems.
A hotline 1180 of KMC could be
dialed to receive information about the treatment or for the service. (RSS)