Don’t abstain from treatment just because you are poor

Don’t abstain from treatment just because you are poor

The government of Nepal has launched the “Disadvantaged Citizens Medical Treatment Fund Directive” for the establishment of a separate fund to provided financial aid to need citizens for their disease treatment. Any citizen shall be entitled to grant amount of up to Rs 4 million for the treatment of prescribed disease within Nepal.

Nepalese suffering from heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal injury, head injury, renal disease and sickle cell anemia may submit an application, along with a recommendation letter of the local level, to the committee.  The committee will then recommend a government hospital for providing necessary treatment to the concerned patient.  The concerned hospital may refer the patient to any other government health facility to utilize the treatment grant.

According to directive, at least 1.5 per cent of a total annual budget of the Department of Health Services (DoHS) shall be appropriated for the programme.  A total of 80 hospitals or health institutions have been assigned for the treatment of disadvantaged citizen.  A person with renal disease will get up to 4 million and heart disease will get up to Rs 1 million as per the severity of the case.

Source: Himalayan times