Ministry directs health facilities to allocate 10 percent beds to indigent, helpless groups

The Ministry of Health and Population has directed health facilities across the country to allocate 10 percent of beds to indigent, helpless and neglected patients for free treatment. The Ministry dispatched a separate letter to health facilities at each local level and to all the government, community and private health institutions across the country to set aside 10 percent of total beds they each have for providing free treatment to the target groups. This is the third time the Ministry is sending instructions to hospitals at 753 local levels to implement the provision mandated by the Clause 64 of Public Health Service Act and the Clause 70 (D) of Health Facility Operation Standard-2077 BS.

The standard mandates each health facility to allocate 10 percent of beds for free treatment of poor, helpless and neglected people.

The Ministry has said it would be monitoring whether its directive was endorsed by hospitals.