Hospitals in Kathmandu to provide free general beds starting from tomorrow

Kathmandu: Health and Population Minister Mohan Bahadur Basnet has said that from tomorrow ‘Thursday’, 2,028 beds will be made available for the treatment of poor, helpless and homeless patients in government hospitals in Kathmandu Valley.

He informed that from tomorrow Gangalal Heart Disease Center (90 beds), Prasuti Griha (450 beds), Kanti Baal Hosiptal (60 beds) and Shukraraj Tropical Communicable Disease Hospital (150 beds) will provide free beds for the poor.

Bir Hospital has already announced that it will provide 700 beds and Koshi Hospital will provide 330 beds free of charge.

The Minister informed that gradually, free beds will be added for the needy patiens in central hospitals across the country and the treatment in those beds will also be free.

Minister Basnet said that in order to reduce the financial burden on the hospital after making the beds free, the related hospital will manage some of the budget and the Ministry of Health will bear the insufficient amount.

Minister Basnet said that private hospitals are also responsible and according to the rules, 10 percent of the total beds should be set aside for the poor for free and that this rule is being implemented strictly.

(News Source: Rastriya Samachar Samiti)