Kathmandu, September 1

Minister for Health Gagan Thapa today said he would do his best to make health services more accessible to all, and improve the quality of services by bringing about gradual changes in the health sector.

Talking to journalists at his office, Thapa said, “Currently, I am busy consulting with experts and authorities of the ministry to chalk out and implement a plan of action that would make people feel the change.

We cannot expect a big change overnight given limited resources and means available in the country, I am of the belief that people will be benefited even from a small change. So we have developed 100 days of action plan as a first step.”

Minister Thapa informed that the ministry would depute a medical doctor each to primary health care centres across the country, so that people would not need to take the trouble of travelling to the district headquarters and big cities for treatment of easily curable diseases.

The country has a total of 205 primary health care centres. They report to their concerned District Public Health Office.

Though the PHCC is to be headed by a medical doctor as per the existing laws and rules, only 23 of 205 PHCCs are being overseen by medical doctors as of today.

“The ministry will take a decision regarding deputation of medical doctors to PHCCs within a week,” said minister Thapa, adding that necessary arrangements would be made for availability and stock of medicine in all health facilities to meet emergency and non-emergency situations.

“We will also work on creating postings of two medical doctors in district hospitals to ensure that people are not be deprived of curative services in absence of one doctor,” he informed.

In a different context, Thapa said the decision to procure equipment for cooperative-based Manmohan Memorial Medical College and bring it under the National Academy of Medical Science as per the three-point agreement reached with Dr Govinda KC was heading in the right direction.

‘Seek medical treatment within country’

KATHMANDU: Health Minister Gagan Thapa on Thursday said that VIPs and VVIPs should give first priority to health facilitieswithin the country.

“I hope that VVIPs and VIPs or any other person would fly abroad only when their medical check-up and treatment are not possible in the country,” he said.

Any political leader, who wishes to go abroad for medical check-up and treatment, is required to obtain approval of the Bir Hospital’s medical board stating that the medical check-up or treatment is not possible in the country.

The Cabinet takes the decision to provide financial assistance to the concerned leader as per the opinion and approval of the medical board. “I think it is important to verify if the approval granted by the medical board is genuine.

I think it is necessary to counter-verify the medical board’s approval and make it responsible for any weakness or illegality on its part,” he said.