Private company not to be entrusted for health insurance: Minister Khatiwada

KATHMANDU: Minister for Health and Population Birodh Khatiwada has said health insurance programme will not be entrusted to private companies. In response to the queries raised by parliamentarians at today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Minister Khatiwada asserted he will not implement the decision though the Appropriation Bill has included a provision to hand health insurance programme to the private company. “I will not implement the health insurance programme included in the budget in a way to hand over its responsibility to the private company,” he said, adding, “I will do whatever the Health Act has stated”. He shared that the government was introducing an act to bring all health-related institutions under one umbrella. A draft of the law is being outlined, the minister said and added, “No patient admitted to government hospitals have been returned without treatment for no money,” he claimed. The Health Minister also said that all preparations have been made to overcome possible pandemic of next variant of coronavirus. “Oxygen, intensive care units (ICUs) and ventilators are in ready condition,” he informed the parliamentarians. “Our existing structures and human resource are enough to stem the next round of pandemic,” Minister further said. Lawmakers, including Kedar Sigdel, Dila Sangraula, Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, Girirajmani Pokharel, Sarala Kumari Yadav and Parbati DC Chaudhary participated in the deliberations on the Appropriation Bill over the Health Ministry. READ ALSO:

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