Awareness seminar

LALITPUR: A two-day Women Empowerment Seminar kicked off here on Saturday for women suffering from leprosy with the objective of generating awareness among the people about leprosy. Inaugurating the seminar, Assistant Minister for Health and Population Neecchya Shumsher JB Rana said women could play a vital role in extricating the practice of segregating leprosy patients and the ingrained negative concept of people regarding the disease. Director of the Division of Leprosy Control Dr Bimala Ojha said education, awareness and goodwill towards the leprosy patients is the most effective nostrum against the disease. There is the need of appropriate counselling to be provided to the people who are forced to live in the society without disclosing their disease for the fear that they might be segregated or treated as a social stigma, said Chairman of the Association Bala Ram Neupane. — RSS

Transport meet

KATHMANDU: Minister of State for Labour and Transport Management Ravindra Khanal has emphasised that the chiefs and employees of the bodies on transport management should be wary of their duty keeping in mind that the service of people is the essence of their duty. Inaugurating a two-day workshop on ‘Transport Management and Record System’ held by the Department of Transport Management here on Saturday, Khanal said outcome of the workshop would be fruitful in the formulation of future policies and regulations. Assistant Minister for Labour and Transport Management Tek Narayan Rajbanshi pointed out the need for the concerned to keep transparent records on transport management through the utilisation of modern technologies. — RSS

Health fund set up

BHAKTPUR: Woman Development Office, Bhaktapur, has established a reproductive health fund to help in the treatment of women suffering from reproductive health complications. The office set up the fund with an amount of Rs 25,000 for the Jalpadevi women group of Nagarkot, according to chief of the Women Development Office, Manju Rayamajhi. The fund will be made available as a financial support to any woman who face emergency situation due to complications in her reproductive matters, she said. — RSS

King greets Chile prez

KATHMANDU: King Gyanendra on Saturday congratulated Michelle Bachelet Jeria on her assumption of the high office of the President of the Republic of Chile. In a message, the King has expressed the confidence that the friendly relations subsisting between the two countries would be further strengthened during president Jeria’s tenure. — RSS