Key Takeways:

• 732,752 people enrolled in Sudurpashchim by the end of Bhadau
• The district has 361,979 health insurance beneficiaries
• Families of up to five members pay Rs 3,500 for coverage
• Families can receive treatment benefits of up to Rs 200,000 under the scheme

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 4 More than 732,000 people in Sudurpashchim Province have enrolled in the government health insurance scheme, with Kailali accounting for nearly half of the province's beneficiaries. A total of 732,752 people had joined the health insurance system by the end of Nepali month of Bhadra, according to data recorded in the Health Insurance Board's Insurance Management Information System. Board Sudurpashchim Coordinator Janak Bahadur Saud said Kailali had the highest enrolment, with 361,979 beneficiaries. Kanchanpur has 87,087 beneficiaries, followed by Achham with 67,308, Bajhang with 52,211, Bajura with 45,454, Baitadi with 34,270, Dadeldhura with 33,378, Doti with 27,862 and Darchula with 23,203. The national health insurance programme was launched on Chaitra 25, 2072 as a social security initiative aimed at making quality healthcare more accessible and reducing the financial risks associated with costly medical treatment. The Health Insurance Board was established under the Health Insurance Act, 2074 and Health Insurance Regulation, 2075 to manage and operate the programme. Coordinator Saud said the scheme was expanding as an important part of implementing the constitutional obligation to ensure access to basic health services and social security. He said the programme had provided significant relief to economically vulnerable families in managing treatment costs. Article 35 of the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to basic health services and social security, while Article 51(j), under policies concerning citizens' basic needs, calls for ensuring health insurance and access to healthcare. The health insurance programme is being implemented in line with these provisions. Under the current arrangement, a family of up to five members pays an annual contribution of Rs 3,500 to enrol in the scheme. Families with more than five members pay an additional Rs 700 per member. The scheme also provides free health insurance for people aged over 70, extremely poor households, persons with disabilities and patients with leprosy, HIV and MDR-TB. The government pays the insurance premiums for people belonging to these categories, Saud said. He added that people working in the organised sector are required to participate in the health insurance programme, with a contribution equivalent to one percent of income. A family of up to five members enrolled in the scheme is entitled to healthcare services worth up to Rs 100,000. An additional Rs 20,000 is available for each additional member, with the maximum benefit capped at Rs 200,000. Under the social health security programme, insured individuals can receive services including outpatient care, emergency treatment, laboratory services and general surgery at designated government hospitals.