KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 29 A multi-specialty children's hospital led by senior cardiologist Dr Bhagwan Koirala has officially come into operation in Kathmandu, marking a significant step toward strengthening paediatric healthcare services in Nepal. The hospital, named the Kathmandu Institute of Child Health (KIOCH), has begun outpatient department (OPD) services from Sunday. Established with the aim of bringing transformative changes to children's healthcare, the facility is located in Budhanilkantha Municipality–7. According to Dr Koirala, preparations are underway to start indoor services within the next two weeks. The hospital currently provides consultation services along with diagnostic facilities such as X-ray, ECG, echocardiography, ultrasound and laboratory tests, all delivered by paediatric specialists. At present, the hospital has more than 50 beds. Dr Koirala said the plan is to expand the facility to 100 beds within six months and further scale it up to a 200-bed hospital within a year. Beyond Kathmandu, KIOCH has adopted an ambitious expansion strategy to establish satellite children's hospitals across all seven provinces. As part of this plan, a satellite children's hospital has already been launched in Damak Municipality of Koshi Province, operating from a building provided by the Nepal Red Cross Society. It is the first such satellite centre under the initiative. At the central level, the plan envisions a 200-bed children's hospital in Kathmandu, while provincial hospitals will have capacities ranging from 50 to 100 beds, depending on local needs. The satellite centres will be equipped with ICU, NICU, PICU, general care and surgical services. Patients requiring highly complex or multi-specialty treatment will be referred to the central hospital in Kathmandu. Dr Koirala noted that around 40 percent of Nepal's population-approximately 12 million people-are below the age of 18, yet government-level paediatric care is largely limited to Kanti Children's Hospital. He said specialised paediatric services remain inadequate, particularly outside major cities. 'In developed countries, children are treated in dedicated hospitals with specialised teams. In Nepal, such comprehensive institutions are lacking,' Dr Koirala said, adding that children require distinct medical approaches compared to adults. He highlighted that around 30 out of every 1,000 Nepali children die before the age of five, largely due to lack of timely and proper treatment. 'Most of these deaths are preventable if appropriate care is available,' he said. The hospital has adopted a policy of providing free treatment to children from families below the poverty line. 'Those who can afford to pay do so, but the cost is not higher than government hospitals,' Dr Koirala said. A heart surgeon with over three decades of experience, Dr Koirala said his long-term goal is to establish children's hospitals in all provinces within the next 10 years, ensuring that no child dies due to lack of treatment or financial constraints.