Distribute medical expenses as per legal provisions, local levels told

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, APRIL 12The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has sent to all the local levels the
procedure for providing medical expenses to patients who have undergone renal transplant and are receiving dialysis service and cancer and
spinal cord paralysis patients.
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The procedure was recently approved by the Ministry of Health and Population
In response to a letter from the MoHP, the MoFAGA today dispatched the procedure to the local units, directing them to implement it for the
relief of patients suffering from chronic diseases, said Section Officer Chiranjeevi Nepal. The procedure aims to reduce
the burden of medical expenditure on patients of chronic diseases, who require medication throughout life involving a huge amount of
money.The procedure was framed in line with the existing Public Health Service Act and Regulation
Patients of the specified diseases wishing to benefit from this facility are required to submit an application along with a copy of
citizenship certificate or birth registration certificate and recommendation of a medical doctor to the ward concerned
In the case of spinal cord injury patients, the application should be accompanied by a disability card (red or blue colour).As per the
procedure, the beneficiaries will be entitled to Rs 5,000 a month
The local level concerned will credit the amount to the bank account of beneficiaries on a four-monthly basis
However, any patient working in government bodies or organisations and receiving pension from the Government of Nepal or foreign governments
will not be eligible to enjoy the medical facility.Similarly, those receiving social security allowance will have to choose between the
allowance and the amount to be provided as per this procedure.The government has been providing allowance to senior citizens, single women,
Dalits, persons from backward regions and differently-abled persons.The procedure says that the MoHP will reimburse the expenditure to the
local levels on a half-yearly basis according to the statement of expenditure submitted by them
The beneficiaries have to get their registration renewed by the ward office concerned in the beginning of each fiscal
Likewise, each ward office will have to maintain the records of beneficiaries on the basis of target groups.The MoHP and Ministry of Social
Development of the Province concerned will carry out monitoring to ensure that the amount meant for beneficiaries is not misappropriated.The
procedure assigns local levels to conduct audit of the distribution of medical expenses to the beneficiaries, in addition to disclosure of
persons receiving this facility through their respective websites.A version of this article appears in the print on April 13, 2022, of The
Himalayan Times.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com