Ministry of Health Directs Hospitals to Operate OPD Services on Public Holidays

Kathmandu. The Ministry of Health and Population has directed hospitals to continue operating OPD (Outpatient Department) services on Sundays, despite them being public holidays. Although the government has decided to grant public holidays on both Saturdays and Sundays, the Ministry has requested all relevant bodies to make arrangements to ensure that health services remain continuous and effective.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry, hospitals are required to provide OPD services on Sundays based on their workload and available manpower. The Ministry has instructed that staff deployed for Sunday duties should be granted a day off on another weekday, or provided with compensatory leave if that is not feasible.

This arrangement is also to be implemented in provincial hospitals, and the respective provincial health ministries have been requested to coordinate and make the necessary arrangements.

The press release, issued by the Ministry's Joint Spokesperson Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, states that this step has been taken to ensure easy public access to sensitive sectors like healthcare and to prevent any disruption in service delivery.