Poverty should not be reason for inaccessibility to health: Minister Basnet

Minister for Health and Population, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, has said his aim is to end the situation preventing citizens to access healthcare services just because of poverty.

Addressing a free health camp and a blood donation programme organised by the Lifeline Health Home Care in Jawalakhel today, the Health Minister said a five-year campaign continued to ensure that no citizen was denied of health facilities due to poverty.

The Minister stressed that people’s rights guaranteed by the Constitution either it be relating to health or others must be implemented. “Each hospital shall follow the provisions of allocating 10 percent of beds to patients from indigent community and who are neglected.”

The government has already issued nationwide circular asking health facilities to bring the provision into practice, according to him.

He also took time to insist on ‘prevention is better than cure’ when people are marred by unaffordable health care facilities. The Health Minister urged one and all to dedicate one hour each day for personal fitness and follow healthy food habits for staying away from various sorts of health issues.

According to Lifeline Health Home Care Board of Directors member Samir Joshi, 50 percent discount shall be given in the Kathmandu Medical College to those visiting the camp and prescribed for surgeries. He said this type of campaign goes on throughout the country in collaboration with the College, under the theme of “Better Health Better Society”.