The provincial governments have prioritized the health sector in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/084. All provincial governments have said that they will upgrade provincial hospitals in cities and provide modern health services.  They have also emphasized the development of health infrastructure in rural areas. The provincial government's budget, which was made public on 1 Ashar, has allocated funds for specialist medical services in remote areas. 

Budget from hospital upgrading to AI technology

The Koshi provincial government has allocated a budget of Rs 3.61 billion, prioritizing the health sector. The government has made hospital upgrading, women and child health, school nursing services, artificial intelligence (AI)-based tuberculosis testing, and expansion of Ayurveda services the main priorities of the budget.

The provincial government has put forward a plan to gradually upgrade hospitals under the province to 50 beds. Hospitals in Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha, and Udayapur, as well as Madan Bhandari Hospital and Trauma Center, are to be developed as well-equipped referral hospitals with ICU and burn treatment units. The necessary budget has been allocated for this, said Health Minister Bidur Lingthep. 

With the aim of making the health infrastructure sustainable and energy-friendly, rooftop solar systems will be installed at the Provincial Hospitals Bhadrapur and Madan Bhandari Hospital and Trauma Center, Urlabari. Similarly, the budget statement states that the basis for operating educational programs related to medicine will be prepared in Dhankuta.

Giving special priority to women's health, the government is going to launch the 'Timely Identification, Timely Treatment, Women's Health, Our Concern' campaign. Under the campaign, integrated screening services related to cervical cancer, breast cancer, eye problems and infertility will be expanded to the community level.

Arrangements have been made for health check-ups of pregnant women coming to the provincial hospital for treatment and free treatment of children under the age of 12 who are referred from the district hospital. A budget of Rs 20 million has been allocated to encourage the contribution of women's health volunteers.

School nursing services will be expanded to 250 schools with the aim of providing access to health services at the school level. The budget also mentions that mobile health camps with specialist doctors will be run in remote and underserved areas. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based X-ray services will be expanded with the aim of making tuberculosis control technology-friendly. This is expected to help in early detection and treatment of the disease.

Similarly, Rs 60 million has been allocated for the expansion of Ayurveda, homeopathy and other alternative treatment methods. The budget also includes a plan to develop the capacity of the Provincial Ayurveda Hospital in collaboration with the Vidushi Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurveda University. Continuing social security, a system has been established to provide 90 percent discount on the service fees of the Provincial Public Health Laboratory for patients with serious diseases, martyrs and destitute families, people with disabilities, conflict victims and senior citizens above 70 years of age.

'My health, my responsibility'

The Madhesh Provincial Government has allocated Rs 5.95 billion for the health sector. After infrastructure development, the Madhesh Provincial Government has allocated the highest budget for the health sector. Giving the slogan 'My Health, My Responsibility', it has been said that citizen health service centers will be established in all wards of the province in collaboration with the local level and health equipment will be purchased. 

The provincial government has stated that the provincial hospital Janakpur will be upgraded to a fully-equipped teaching hospital with treatment services for heart, kidney and cancer diseases to end the compulsion of the citizens of the province to go elsewhere for specialized treatment. To make snakebite treatment accessible to all, a budget has been allocated to expand snakebite treatment centers with anti-snake venom in basic health centers. 

To bring the extremely poor, Dalit and marginalized communities to access quality health services, the Madhesh provincial government is going to implement a full health insurance coverage campaign in cost-sharing with the local level by bearing their health insurance premiums. To reduce maternal and infant mortality, the Madhesh provincial government will launch the Madhesh Nutrition Mission-2083 to distribute nutrition packs to pregnant mothers targeting the period from conception to the age of two and to make the Chief Minister's Nutrition Scheme more effective. 

The midday meal program will be made mandatory from farm to plate by using nutritious flour produced by indigenous industries, linking it with local agricultural products. For that, the Madhesh Provincial Government has a policy of establishing a public-private partnership to establish one municipality, one nutrition production center. A yoga and meditation campaign will be launched in schools and public places to reduce drug abuse and mental health problems. The provincial government also has a strategy to expand telemedicine services. 

Healthy life as a priority

The Bagmati Provincial Government has included yoga and meditation in the budget. A plan has been brought to construct a health building in Hetauda-16, Shakti Danda. In the budget presented by Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Prabhat Tamang last Monday, it is mentioned that quality health services will be provided from provincial hospitals by providing equipment such as CT scan, MRI, Cath Lab, and hemodialysis to make the provincial hospitals capable of providing resources and equipment.

The budget mentions the development of EHR, telemedicine and health profile systems to strengthen the physical infrastructure of Ayurvedic and alternative hospitals and expand the use of service information technology to make health services more effective and service-recipient-friendly. The budget presented in the health sector mentions that Rs 5,000 will be provided as an incentive to mothers who deliver in health institutions and get fully vaccinated to increase access to safe maternity services for women from endangered and marginalized communities in the province. 

Arrangements have been made for free air rescue of pregnant and postpartum women in danger of death, and budget has been allocated to run a postpartum nutrition program. The budget mentions that Rs 515.6 million will be allocated for MBBS and MD and other subjects at the Madan Bhandari Institute of Health Sciences and for educational and technical development, as well as the start of proficiency certificate level studies in nursing in provincial hospitals.

Budget has been allocated to run the Chief Minister's Public Health Program in all 13 districts of Bagmati Province. It is said to build 'One District, One Healthy City'. The budget mentions the establishment of an Ayurvedic medicine production center in Chitwan. The Bagmati Province government has allocated a budget of Rs 9.62 billion to the Ministry of Health and Social Development for the upcoming fiscal year.

Focus on infrastructure and technology

The Gandaki Province government has allocated a budget of Rs 3.31 billion, prioritizing the health sector. Minister for Economic Affairs Jit Bahadur Sherchan said that the government has brought the budget with the goal of improving provincial public health, developing infrastructure, and increasing citizens' access to basic health services.  

The government has allocated Rs 60 million to construct the Provincial General and Communicable Diseases Hospital and the Gandaki Ayurveda Hospital in Kaski to expand specialist and specialized health services. With the aim of providing reliable health services at the remote and local level, Rs 100 million has been allocated for the purchase of CT scan machines at the Madhyabindu Provincial Hospital and Gorkha Hospital in Nawalpur.

An additional Rs 35 million has been allocated to purchase ambulances for hospitals under the province. To reduce the increasing risk of rheumatic heart disease in children, a 'Rheumatic Heart Disease Screening' program has been launched with the slogan 'Healthy Heart: Beautiful Future'. Rs 20 million has been allocated for preparedness against epidemics and public health risks and expansion of an integrated surveillance system at the community level. 

The incentive amount for female community health volunteers has been continued, while Rs 66 million has been allocated for free availability of blood and blood products, financial assistance for cancer treatment, health insurance, and air rescue of pregnant and postpartum women at risk. Funds have also been allocated for the provision of medical officers in basic hospitals, community nursing programs, and various trainings for capacity building of health workers. 

15 percent budget for health 

The Lumbini Provincial Government has allocated Rs 5.65 billion for the development of the health sector. This amount is 15.15 percent of the provincial government's overall budget. An amount of Rs 2.12 billion has been allocated for the infrastructure construction of the Lumbini Provincial Hospital and other hospitals, which are being built as a provincial pride project. Budget allocation has also been prioritized for the construction of buildings and equipment management of other major health institutions. 

Through the budget, the government has emphasized expanding access to health services in remote and rural areas, improving maternal and child health, managing chronic diseases, and providing emergency treatment services. The government is going to operate telemedicine services at Lumbini Provincial Hospital.

40 million has also been allocated to expand Rapti Provincial Hospital to 200 beds. The provincial government is going to operate a health service program through 'Specialist Services in Remote Areas: Mobile Medical Van' targeting citizens in remote areas. 35 million rupees have been allocated for this. It is said that specialist doctor services will be provided to remote settlements through this program. 

A plan has been put forward to connect rural citizens with specialist doctors online by expanding telemedicine services from Lumbini Provincial Hospital. 53 million rupees have been allocated to operate a free laboratory testing program for high-risk pregnant women, prioritizing reduction in maternal mortality. 

This program will ensure safe motherhood, said Health Minister Ramji Ghimire, who is also the government's spokesperson. The provincial government has continued the program of providing concessions of up to Rs 200,000 per person for heart valve transplantation, kidney transplantation and cancer treatment. Free blood transfusion services will be operated next year as well. Free medicines, equipment, screening and public awareness programs for patients with diseases such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and hemophilia have also been continued. 

Plans to expand specialized services including dialysis services, neonatal intensive care units, burn treatment rooms, infertility management services have also been included in the budget. It has been said that regular supply of necessary medicines will be ensured in all hospitals in the province for vaccination against rabies and snakebite treatment centers. 

Incentive allowance for volunteers doubled 

The Karnali government has put forward a plan to make the Surkhet-based provincial hospital a health science institute. For which Rs 236.5 million has been allocated. The incentive allowance of rural women health volunteers has been increased by 100 percent to Rs 24,000 annually. 

The provincial government has allocated Rs 25 million for the treatment of patients with complex diseases such as cancer, heart, kidney and Alzheimer's. The plan to provide free blood to the poor has also been included in the budget for the coming year. Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Rajiv Bikram Shah said that the necessary budget has been made to expand kidney dialysis services in Dailekh. According to him, Rs 43.9 million has been allocated to operate programs such as telemedicine services, e-health, health camps in remote areas.

Rs 73 million has been allocated for the infrastructure development of health institutions in Karnali next year. Rs 64.1 million has been allocated for the expansion of alternative medical services, and Rs 65.9 million has been allocated for the postpartum nutrition program. 

अस्पतालहरूको क्षमता विस्तार गर्न बजेट

सुदूरपश्चिमका आर्थिक मामिलामन्त्री विक्रमसिंह धामीले बजेट वक्तव्यमा उल्लेख गरेअनुसार मुख्यमन्त्री स्वास्थ्य क्षेत्र सुधार कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गरेर प्रदेश सरकार मातहतका अस्पतालहरूमा प्रयोगशाला, आकस्मिक सेवा, शल्यक्रिया तथा सघन उपचार कक्ष, फार्मेसी, रेडियोलोजी विभागलगायतका अत्यावश्यक सेवालाई थप स्तरोन्नति गर्न बजेट विनियोजन गरिएको छ । 

सेती प्रादेशिक अस्पताल र लम्कीचुहा, महाकाली, टीकापुर, बयलपाटा, जोगबुढा प्रादेशिक अस्पतालमा डायलाइसिस सेवा सुदृढ गर्न शय्या थप्ने भएको छ । साथै जिल्ला अस्पतालहरूमा समेत न्यूनतम दुई शय्या डायलाइसिस सेवा विस्तार गर्न बजेट विनियोजन गरिएको छ । सेती, महाकाली र टीकापुर प्रादेशिक अस्पताललाई एक सय शय्या तथा अछाम, बझाङ, बाजुरा, बैतडी, डोटी र दार्चुला जिल्ला अस्पताललाई २५ देखि ५० शय्या क्षमतामा स्तरोन्नति गर्ने बजेट वक्तव्यमा उल्लेख छ ।