Health Ministry directs hospitals to operate OPD services also on public holidays

The Ministry of Health and Population has dispatched a circular, directing 34 hospitals and health facilities to operate the Out-Patient Department (OPD) services also on public holidays.

Ministry spokesperson Dr Prakash Budhathoki confirmed that the Ministry has sent a circular to these hospitals, urging them to operate the OPD services on public holidays as well. 

The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, some days back, sent a letter to the Ministry of Health and Population, asking it to ensure that the hospitals provide all services including the OPD services on public holidays.

According to Dr Budhathoki, the circular to this effect has been sent to the Bir Hospital, the Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital, the Bheri Hospital, the National tuberculosis Centre, the Koshi Hospital, the Nepal Eye Hospital, the Kanti Children's Hospital, the Sahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, the Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, the Patan Academy of Health Sciences, among others.

A special provision on public service delivery cited in a notice published in the Nepal Gazettee by the Ministry of Home Affairs states that the hospitals have to provide all categories of services including the OPD service even on public holidays.

The government issued this directive based on the public complaint that most of the hospitals and health facilities were not found delivering all types of health services on public holidays.