Kaski, January 16

Minister of Health and Population, Bhanubhakta Dhakal, has said the cleaning begins from the ministry itself. The anomalies within the ministry will be wiped out, the minister said at a programme here today.

“There are health institutes and hospitals as well where irregularities need to be cleaned up. But, the first place to be clean is the ministry itself. To clear the murky water, the source must be clean,” he stressed. Minister Dhakal went on to say that he was worried whether hospitals such as BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and Bir Hospital would deteriorate as they were plagued by financial irregularities and corruption.

Two medical equipment bought at a cost of Rs 460 million were left unused for long. They are kept under security, the minister reminded.

The minister vowed, “I won’t allow irregularities to thrive during my term. The purchase of costly machine must have been slurred with irregularities. But, I won’t let it happen.”

Stating that the health sector, as compared to others, was a big one, Minister Dhakal pledged that he would work in a way to ensure the reform of the sector during his tenure.

“It is pathetic to see the issues plaguing the health sector and I don’t have any alternative but to address them. During my leadership, I will make sure people feel change,” he committed.

According to him, there was no alternative for medical officers but to serve in the mountainous region for two years upon finishing their education availed with government scholarship.

On the occasion, former minister of health and incumbent Member of Parliament Khagaraj Adhikari stressed that the health insurance programme would be made more effective and Out Patient Department would not be shut down for more than three days under any circumstances.

Similarly, Secretary at the ministry Khagaraj Baral said they were in Pokhara for monitoring. Baral urged medical officers to be present in their respective duty station following the adjustment of staffers as per the federal set up.

He warned of action against those medical officers not attending to their duties in their respective duty stations.

Likewise, Pokhara Institute of Health Sciences’ senate member Anandaraj Mulmi spoke of the need to upscale the hospital and better its services.

Vice-chancellor at the Institute Dr Buddhi Bahadur Thapa said that applications were open for the entrance of post-graduate study. He informed that plans were afoot to add nursing and Bachelors in Dental Science in its academic session.