Newly Elected Lawmaker Warns High Healthcare Costs Push 500,000 Nepalis into Poverty Annually

Kathmandu. Newly elected House of Representatives member Dr. Tosima Karki stated that high healthcare costs in Nepal are pushing 500,000 Nepalis into poverty annually.

Speaking at an event organized by the Health Journalists Forum Nepal in Lalitpur on Tuesday, she mentioned that approximately five lakh Nepalis are being pushed below the poverty line every year due to the high cost of healthcare services and medicines.

She noted that nearly 60 percent of the expenditure incurred by citizens during medical treatment is spent on medicines. Despite claims that medicines are cheap in Nepal, she stated that citizens bear a significant financial burden in practice.

She emphasized the need to improve the quality of both medicines and health services. She described the distribution of low-quality medicines and the lack of effective regulation as a serious crime, stating that strict action must be taken against those involved in such activities.

She also suggested that the Drug Act needs to be amended, arguing that the Act formulated in 2035 BS is not relevant to the current times. She attributed the delay in legal amendments to a lack of willpower in leadership and unethical dealings.

She further stated that the code of conduct for sales and distribution, among other policies, has been shelved for a long time. She informed that although Nepal is self-sufficient in the production of 35 types of medicines, production remains halted due to the lack of necessary approvals and policy decisions.

She assured that the upcoming government will prioritize the health sector and implement necessary legal reforms. She stated that the government to be formed by the Rastriya Swatantra Party will play the role of a servant in the health sector.