ITAHARI, MARCH 1
BPKIHS, a famed teaching hospital in Dharan, is desperately waiting for Rs 260 million from the Ministry of Health and Population of the federal government, which was spent on health insurance schemes for patients.
BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences administration has said lack of fund has hampered the health insurance scheme at the health facility, major destination both for locals of Province 1 and Madhes.
''BPKIHS has made it clear in writing to the health ministry that if the fund is not funneled by March 29, BPKIHS will halt the health insurance scheme,'' said Professor Doctor Gaurishankar Shah, the hospital director.
He added, ''BPKIHS is itself in crisis on the financial front and pending health insurance dues from the health ministry has added to its woes. The ministry owes us Rs 260 million 50 thousand which is not a small amount.'' Shah said BPKIHS has drawn the attention of the Office of the Prime Minister, Chief Minister of Province 1, health ministry of Province 1, District Administration Office of Sunsari and Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City. Shah said more than 60 to 70 per cent patients at the institution were treated with the government-funded health insurance scheme.
''BPKIHS is an autonomous institution where more than 2,300 staffers, including doctors, nurses, teachers, and other employees work,'' Shah told the Blast Daily, published from Dharan. ''The government doesn't pay the salary of staffers and we are too economically stressed to manage on our own for want for funding.''
A version of this article appears in the print on March 2, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
