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Police have arrested four persons in possession of brown sugar in Jhapa. The District Police Office, Jhapa identified the arrestees as Arun Danuwar (28), Ashwin Rai (23) of Damak Municipality-9, Neusan Rai (25) of Kamal Rural Municipality-6 and Abhishek Rai (20) of Damak-2, the District Police Office, Jhapa said. Acting on a tip-off, a police team deployed from the Area Police Office, Damak apprehended Arun and Ashwin with 300 milligram brown sugar, a digital weighing machine and Rs 60, 750 in cash from their room. Similarly, Abhishek and Neusan were nabbed with 800 milligram brown sugar and a digital weighing machine. They have been kept at the Area Police Office, Damak for investigation.  

President Ram Chandra Paudel has been discharged from the hospital on Sunday. Following the discharge, he will return home today, the Office of the President said. President Paudel is scheduled to return home in the regular flight of Nepal Airlines. Doctors involved in the treatment have suggested him to take a complete rest for some weeks. Earlier on April 18, President Paudel was admitted to the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital after he complained of stomach pain. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on April 19 after preliminary treatment at the TUTH.    

Nine people have died in wild animal attacks till mid-April. The wild animals attacked them within the territory of Chitwan National Park and Division Forest Office. According to Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, Information Officer of the park, one person died in the attack of a tiger, two in the attack of a rhino and three in the attack of an elephant in the national park area. Likewise, three others died in the area under the Division Forest Offices in Chitwan, Nawalpur and Makwanpur. Wild boars, rhinos and tigers have attacked people in the forest covered by the divisions. Meanwhile, 12 people were seriously injured and 15 people sustained minor injuries due to wild animal attacks during the period.  

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors have approved $100 million in financing for the Nepal Quality Health Systems Program operation. The Program will improve the quality of healthcare services and increase the coverage of health insurance, and enhance the capacity of the healthcare system to prepare for and respond to health emergencies in Koshi and Gandaki provinces, according to a press release issued by the Washington-based bank's headquarters. “By prioritizing and investing in health, Nepal can reap multiple benefits including improved health outcomes, increased productivity, and economic growth,” said Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. “The World Bank supports Nepal’s goal to put quality at the core of health system policy and planning and service delivery.” The Program will be implemented by the Ministry of Health and Population with the coordination of the Health Insurance Board at the federal level, and provincial and local governments in Koshi and Gandaki provinces to help achieve the strategic objectives of Nepal’s Health Sector Strategic Plan, 2022-2030. These include enhancing efficiency and responsiveness of the health system, promoting sustainable financing and social protection in health, and promoting equitable access to quality health services. “The Program supports the implementation of federalism and builds on Nepal’s first Program for Results in the health sector to address the challenges of access and quality and to build a resilient public health sector,” said Dr Feng Zhao, Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition and Population, South Asia Region. “The results achieved under this Program have the potential for scale-up to other provinces.” The financing for the Program is complemented by a $3.84 million grant from the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) Trust Fund. The HEPR Trust Fund supports eligible countries and territories to improve their capacities to prepare, prevent, respond, and mitigate the impact of epidemics on populations.