Health Ministry effortful to ensure health services to the public

Kathmandu, June 19: Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Yadav has said that the Ministry was effortful to strengthen the basic and specialized health services in the country.     

Responding to queries under the headings of the Ministry under the Appropriation Bill, 2081 at the House of Representatives today, Minister Yadav said that the government was working to ensure the health rights of people as the Constitution has guaranteed the basic health service as the fundamental rights.     

He added that the access to health of the public was increasing. "A study committee was formed to smoothly manage the health services in public hospitals as there was huge complaints on service delay and ineffectiveness of health insurance services in the hospital." he added.     

Minister Yadav further committed to enhance the capacity of health laboratories in the hospital with quality services in all seven provinces. He also shared that the Ministry has been carrying out managerial activities to construct the basic hospitals soon.     

"Out of the five, 10 and 15-bed basic hospitals to be constructed at 655 local levels, construction of 396 basic hospitals has been forwarded in the first-phase while 259 hospitals will be carried out in the second-phase. A total of 413 hospitals are in the phase of construction while 47 have already been constructed. Additional 50 basic hospitals will be constructed in coming fiscal year", he mentioned.     

Seeking clarification to the response of Minister Yadav, lawmakers Ram Hari Khatiwada, Bina Lama, Sita Mijar, Roshan Karki, Dr Tosima Karki, among others expressed their views.     

Today's HoR meeting had an agenda where ministers of eight ministries including Health Ministry were to respond the queries raised by lawmakers on headings of the ministries. However, only Health Minister responded to the queries.     

The HoR will meet next at 11:00 am on Thursday, said Speaker Devraj Ghimire. (RSS)