Rupandehi, August 16:

The Hospital Development Committee of the Lumbini Zonal Hospital at Butwal has decided to provide free treatment to senior citizens. According to Baburam Bhattarai, president of the committee, people above 75 years will be provided with free treatment from tomorrow. The decision was taken on Monday. The hospital will have to bear about Rs 300,000 as extra expenses annually for the new provision. Birth certificate will be the criteria to determine the age of the patient. The hospital will not take charge for the bed, X-ray, ECG and endoscopy from such patients; however, the patients will have to bear the cost of medicine.