Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has issued a directive to healthcare institutions to provide free treatment to poor and disadvantaged people as well as patients without attendants.
Issuing a circular to all government, community and private hospitals, Ekdev Khanal, the under secretary at the ministry, instructed the health institutions to provide free services Clause 70 (D) of the Health Facility Operation Standards, 2020.
Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Balen Shah had requested the ministry to ensure that healthcare institutions comply with the Health Facility Operation Standards, 2020 during a meeting with Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet last week. Mayor Shah had told Minister Basnet that the KMC would close down healthcare institutions if they failed to provide free treatment and other necessary facilities to poor and underprivileged people as well as patients left unattended within seven days.
The ministry has also directed local governments to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that healthcare institutions offer free services to poor and underprivileged people as well as patients left unattended.
