KATHMANDU, JULY 22

The Education and Health Committee under the House of Representatives has directed the government to release payments under the health insurance in a feasible way. The directive came after it was found that the insured citizens have to wait for a long time to receive the payment under the scheme.

Similarly, the Committee at its meeting today has asked the Ministry of Health and Population to take measures to control increasing COVID-19 cases.

In response, Minister of Health and Population Bhawani Prasad Khapung said the government was ready to correct any shortcomings in the release of payments under the insurance scheme. He also pledged to make the health insurance more systematic. He asked the local governments to become more active in running COV- ID-19 vaccination campaign.

On the occasion, Secretary at the ministry Dr Roshan Pokharel admitted that the number of COVID cases were increasing of late. He, however, claimed that the number of COVID patients being admitted to hospital had not increased. Similarly, Executive Director of Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre Chandra Mani Adhikari reported that the hospital lacked oxygenators.

Lawmakers Giriraj Mani Pokharel, Yogesh Bhattari, Sarita Neupane, Anjana Bisunkhe, Surendra Yadav and Nabina Lama, stressed the need to amend the Public Procurement Act to make the purchase of medical equipment hassle free

A version of this article appears in the print on July 23, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.