KASKI, JANUARY 31
The Gandaki government is all set to take steps to increase citizens' access to affordable and quality health facilities. The provincial government has geared up to make additional efforts to ensure people's accessibility to healthcare services bearing in mind the existing challenges and issues in the related sector.
The government said it would adopt the 'one doctor/ health worker: one institution' policy for ensuring the presence of health professional in each health facility. Province Minister of Health and Population Madhumaya Adhikari said it was the responsibility of the government to guarantee people's right to health which is enshrined as people's fundamental right in the constitution.
The province government has for the first time drafted health policy since its formation.
The minister pledged that the government would work in collaboration with the federal and local governments so that people's access to equitable and quality health services was guaranteed.
"People's access to free basic and emergency healthcare services will be increased," she said, adding that free basic health facilities would be rendered through health institutions.
According to the ministry, each ward in the districts of the province will have facility for providing basic healthcare services. Similarly, the government has adopted the policy of rendering emergency health services from all health institutions and making arrangements for required human resources for the same.
Moreover, the government has decided to put in more efforts for further effectiveness of immunisation and nutrition programmes.
"The number of maternity waiting rooms and birthing centres will be increased in cooperation with local levels to improve the status of reproductive health, child health and the health of adolescents," the minister said.
The government has a plan to airlift ill pregnant woman, new mothers and infants from remote areas of the country to a well-equipped hospital for treatment. It also plans to expand free safe maternity and reproductive health service.
Similarly, management of treatment of newborns and children in an integrated way and services such as reproductive health, immunisation and nutrition programmes will be made effective as mentioned in the health policy.
All health institutions should have contraceptives and hospitals at provincial level should regularly provide vasectomy service. Family planning camps and satellite clinics should be run as per the need of the community. Physical exercises and health checkups and toilets should be managed at schools.
A version of this article appears in the print on February 1, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
