Plans afoot to upgrade Bir Hospital

Kathmandu, December 12

The government has announced plans to develop Bir Hospital as a world-class heath institution.

According to the Ministry of Finance, necessary preparations are being made to pursue long-term

reform in the oldest and busiest hospital of the country, taking into account the demand for general and life-saving health services for the next 100 years.

The hospital was established in July 1889 by then Prime Minister Bir Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana and is currently managed by the National Academy of Medical Sciences, a government agency since 2003. A meeting was held at the MoFA at the initiative of Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel yesterday to discuss the present condition and future prospects of the hospital as part of groundwork to develop the hospital as a world-class health institution.

Minister for Health and Population Ram Janam Chaudhari, Finance Minister’s chief financial adviser Prof Govind Nepal, Finance Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi, Revenue Secretary Rajan Khanal, NAMS Vice Chancellor Prof Ganesh Bahadur Gurung, Director of Bir Hospital Dr Swayam Prakash Pandit and other stakeholders were present at the meeting. On the occasion, they were unanimous about developing Bir Hospital as a health care centre capable of providing world class medical services. An official said a five-member panel headed by Dr Padam Bahadur Chand has been formed to prepare a clear plan of action to implement the plan.