Health Minister Pokharel unveils 26-point commitment paper, pledges broader access to health services

Kathmandu - Minister for Health Giriraj Mani Pokharel made public the 26-point commitment paper aimed at further streamlining the healthcare services in the country.

At a programme organized by the Ministry of Health here on Sunday, Minister Pokharel asserted that the government was concerned about rendering healthcare services to public from all social strata as well as to Dalit, women, children, physically-disable and senior citizens.

Minister Pokharel reaffirmed that the health rights incorporated in the constitution would be ensured for people at all level of all federal provinces in the country.

The Health Minister serving the same portfolio for the third time, assured, "The State will be liable to bear the health insurance of the poor, marginalized, Dalit and severely physically-disabled ones."

He also pledged to increase the budget from existing 4.2 per cent to 8 per cent so as to ensure reforms in country's health sector.

According to him, the new Health Policy would be issued this year, incorporating relevant issues from the Health Policy, 2071 while the Acts like Health Act, and Medicine Act would be formulated in line with the federal set up.

Telemedicine method would be employed in the hospitals in the remote zones of the country through which the locals would hold medical consultations with specialists afar, the commitment paper stated.

The paper has further incorporated the programmes and services relating to new-born health, safe motherhood, communicable/non-communicable diseases control, mental health post-quake among others.