Kathmandu, October 29

The first draft of National Health Policy recently published by the Ministry of Health for internal and public discussion and feedback expresses the government’s commitment to universal health coverage.

“The government will make utmost efforts to make the health sector service-oriented by regulating and managing private and cooperative investment besides enhancing the state’s investment in this sector. Health and development cooperative will be promoted to strengthen community-based health service,” the draft policy states. The policy also envisions self-reliance of the government in health sector by gradually strengthening its own economy and minimising foreign assistance of external health partners.

The government will attach special priority to growth of investment in health sector. Government hospitals will be developed to ensure access of citizens to health by guaranteeing necessary infrastructures for quality service delivery,” the policy states.

According to the policy, the government will lay emphasis on health research to make evidence-based plan and to make health services more accessible to the public. It accords priority to the family of martyrs, disappeared, disabled and victims of all political movements and armed struggle.

“Emergency health service shall be provided to all citizens from the community to the central level by integrating health system at the federal, provincial and local levels as per the spirit of the constitution. A special mechanism will be developed for invitation for bid at the central level and procurement at the local level to ensure easy and effective supply of quality drugs besides encouraging internal production,” the draft policy states.