Health sector needs 30% of total budget: Minister Paudel

Gandaki, Feb 28: Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Paudel, has said citizens' access to health services could not be established until investment in the health sector was increased.     

In a discussion session on 'People's access to health services' organized during the ongoing 12th Nepal Literature Festival in Pokhara, Minister Paudel shared that the number of hospitals and health-related human resources is less in Nepal as compared to the population.     

"Human resources have increased in the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and civil service, but it has not been increased in the essential and sensitive sector like health sector", he argued.     

It was necessary to ramp up investment in health infrastructure, human resources and health appliances as well as allocate 30 per cent of the total budget to the health sector in order to provide health services to citizens as ensured by the constitution, mentioned Minister Paudel.     

He pointed out the need to make the health insurance programme further systematic by ending all anomalies seen in this regard, adding challenges in the course of implementing some of the programmes announced without guaranteeing resources.     

Health Minister Paudel clarified that the government was committed to quality and accessible health service delivery. He shared, "An extensive reform is necessary in the health system. Some of the projects have not been practically implemented in lack of resources despite policy-level arrangement."     

He stressed the need to seek long-term solutions to problems seen in the health sector by increasing investment. (RSS)