The payment of medical treatment services for poor citizens provided by the Ministry of Health and Population will now be done through the Health Insurance Board.

For that, Health and Population Minister Pradip Poudel has approved the Dispensed Citizen Drug Treatment Program Operation Guideline 2082 (First Amendment). Earlier, the treatment program for poor citizens was being conducted by the Nursing and Social Security Division of the Department of Health Services.

According to the data of 2080/81 of Health Service Department, Nursing and Social Security Division, there are 53 thousand 577 patients with 8 types of serious diseases like cancer, heart, kidney, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, head injury, spinal injury, and sickle cell anemia in Nepal. According to the data, 4 billion 27 lakh 59 thousand 241 rupees were spent on their treatment in the last financial year. According to the

guidelines, there is now a provision for needy citizens to have compulsory health insurance to receive treatment services. It is believed that after making health insurance compulsory, the state investment will reach the right people and the possibility of double claims will end. In the revised guidelines, it is stated that the payment process for the indigent citizen treatment program, which is being operated by the Department of Health Services, Nursing and Social Security Division, will be done through the Health Insurance Board, and other tasks related to the program (hospital listing, integrated monitoring, report entry, etc.) will be done by the Nursing and Social Security Division.

Health and Population Minister Poudel said that according to his action plan, he is active in making insurance more integrated, organized and transparent. "We have made this decision to make health insurance services more accessible and economical," he said, "mandatory affiliation with health insurance discourages misuse of state funds on the one hand." According to the 2081 report of the Health Insurance Reform Suggestion Task Force, these programs cost the state 12 billion rupees every year. Under the social health security program run by various agencies under the government, 21 billion rupees are being spent twice in the state every year. According to the

report, one and a half billion rupees are spent on medical treatment through the social security fund operated under the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. Free treatment is given to the Nepalese army and their families through the Military Welfare Fund under the Ministry of Defence, and through the Police Welfare Fund of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the police and their families are given free treatment.

The Civil Hospital under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has arranged a 40 percent discount on treatment for officer-level employees and their families and 50 percent discount for those below the official level and retired and their families. Apart from these, the Employees' Provident Fund under the Ministry of Finance, Citizen Investment Fund, various banks coordinate with the insurance companies and give certain amount to the account holders for treatment.

The insurance program started by the government from Chait 25, 2072 in Kailali district has now been implemented in 77 districts. Based on the payment of 3 thousand 500 per family (up to 5 people), there is a provision for health facilities up to one lakh rupees per year and if the amount is increased at the rate of 700 per member, services equal to 20 thousand per member will be added. Maximum service facility limit is up to 2 lakh (10 family members). The insured has to pay 2 percent amount for the service. The insurance program is applicable only in government health institutions and private medical colleges.