KATHMANDU, AUGUST 2

The Ministry of Health and Population has instructed all the health institutions to disclose the details of free health care services being provided by them by allocating 10 per cent of the beds to needy patients.

The Department of Quality Measurement and Regulation under the MoHP has written to the government, private and community hospitals and health facilities and medical institutes, directing them to maintain records of patients in a systematic way and display them on the digital board. The MoHP has been issuing circular time and again for providing free treatment for the poor, helpless and destitute patients.

'You are directed to maintain the records of patients who have received services in accordance with the existing provisions and display such details in such a way that they are publicly visible.

You are also requested to display the details of patients on the digital board,' read a recent circular issued by the MoHP.

Earlier, the MoHP had directed all the government, community and private hospitals throughout the country to ensure allocation of 10 per cent of the total number of beds for free medical treatment of the disadvantaged, helpless, and unclaimed patients as per the existing provisions. The local levels had also been told to make necessary arrangements for providing recommendation letter to the disadvantaged, helpless and unclaimed patients for their medical treatment in the health facilities.

The MoHA said it would carry out inspection and monitoring of the health facilities to ascertain whether they have allocated 10 per cent of the total number of beds to needy patients. It also warned that any hospital not abiding by the rules would be liable to legal action under the prevailing law.

As per the 'Establishment, Operation, and Upgradation Standards of Health Institutions Directive, 2014,' it is mandatory for health institutions to allocate 10 per cent of the total bed capacity for free treatment of poor, disadvantaged and helpless patients.

The directive aims to provide accessible and quality health services to the general public.

The directive states that each hospital is required to ask a beneficiary patient to fill a self-declaration form and paste a sticker reading 'Free Bed for Disadvantaged Patient' on the bed upon the patient's admission for treatment.

The hospitals will have to give priority to senior citizens, persons with disability and single women while offering free treatment service. The personal details along with the photo of a patient undergoing free treatment should also be displayed.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 3, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.