Key Takeaways:

• Bagmati plans to increase health-sector funding next fiscal year
• Catheterisation lab to begin operating at Hetauda Hospital
• MRI and specialised maternal care services set for expansion
• Chief minister says health deserves priority alongside infrastructure

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 7 Bagmati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa has pledged to increase funding for the health sector in the next fiscal year, saying citizens' health should receive priority alongside physical infrastructure development. Speaking at a reception and felicitation programme organised by the Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences, Thapa said the provincial government would focus on improving healthcare services and expanding specialised treatment facilities. He said a budget has already been allocated in the current fiscal year to operate a catheterisation laboratory at Hetauda Hospital, a move expected to reduce the need for patients from Makwanpur and neighbouring districts to travel to Kathmandu for cardiac treatment. Thapa also said preparations are under way to expand MRI services and strengthen specialised treatment facilities for mothers and newborns at the hospital. According to the chief minister, the province has expanded dialysis services by adding new machines, helping reduce waiting times patients previously faced because of limited equipment. He said the provincial government had amended relevant legislation to address policy-level confusion regarding the responsibilities of the Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences and Hetauda Hospital, improving coordination between the two institutions. Thapa said provincial hospitals in all 13 districts of Bagmati now have additional specialist services, trained personnel and modern medical equipment, contributing to improvements in healthcare delivery since the implementation of federalism. The provincial government is also planning to relocate the academy's administrative office to another government building so that the existing space can be used to expand patient care services and increase bed capacity. Thapa said some hospital buildings constructed under detailed project reports have operational limitations due to narrow or inconvenient layouts. Necessary modifications would be carried out based on recommendations from architects, engineers and technical experts, he added. Expressing dissatisfaction with current spending levels, Thapa said only 4.5 percent of the province's total budget is allocated to the health sector. 'Roads and bridges are important, but citizens' health should receive equal or higher priority,' he said. The chief minister also highlighted the introduction of telemedicine services, electronic medical records and a mobile digital application that enables real-time monitoring of hospital beds, outpatient services and patient flow at provincial hospitals. The programme was chaired by Dr Pradip Gyawali, vice-chancellor of the academy. Minister for Health and Social Development Gir Bahadur Tamang and Provincial Assembly member Ekalal Shrestha also said the health sector would remain a priority for the provincial government.