Pokhara, June 8 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population Upendra Yadav today said people from underprivileged communities should not be deprived of basic healthcare services in the country. Speaking at a function at Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara, Minister Yadav urged health workers in government-run health facilities to provide immediate, efficient and quality healthcare to service seekers. “It is obvious that health services in the country are not up to the mark. However, health workers should ensure optimum utilisation of the available resources and tools,” said Yadav. He said the ministry would take measures to send health workers to rural areas. Minister Yadav also said the loss of lives in accidents could be minimised if emergency wards of health facilities worked effectively. On a different note, Minister Yadav said the ministry was preparing to develop Pokhara Institute of Health Sciences as a medical college. “The health facility has not been able to move ahead due to lack of sufficient budget. Hence, I will try my best to forge coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the prime minister for the same,” he argued. Minister Yadav also took stock of different departments of the health facility and met with patients of various wards and enquired about services and necessary tools. He directed the authorities concerned to focus on sanitation of the hospital. Meanwhile, vice-chancellor of the institute Prof Dr Buddhi Bahadur Thapa briefed the minister on services provided by the hospital.