The health insurance coverage has reached 49 per cent of the population in Gandaki Province.

The total population of the Province is 2.46  million and 1.20  people have health insurance.

This information was shared at a program organized by the Health Insurance Board Gandaki Province Office in Pokhara on Monday on the occasion of the 9th Health Insurance Day.

On the occasion, Coordinator of Health Insurance Board Gandaki Province, Jiblal Kharel, said that the number of insured people in the province was increasing and efforts were being made to include more and more general public in the insurance scheme.

Stating that the health insurance program is progressing effectively globally, he said it has been improved in Nepal as well in tune with the time. He stated that there is a tendency to spread negative publicity towards health insurance in Nepal and pointed out the need to involve all citizens in health insurance by disseminating positive information.

Health Administrator at the Ministry of Health of Gandaki Province and member-secretary of the Gandaki Province Health Insurance Coordination Committee, Dr Ramesh KC, said that a health insurance program which has a history of 142 years in the world has been in operation in Nepal for the last nine years.

He stressed on the need to implement this program in a nascent stage in Nepal in an effective manner. Stating that there was a need for triangular coordination of beneficiaries, service provider hospitals and the Health Insurance Board, he underscored the need for enhancing quality along with the effectiveness of this insurance programme.

Rabindra Thakur of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Bidya Bastola of Western Regional Hospital, Shiva Pokharel of Drishti Eye Hospital, Om Thapa of Matri Shishu Hospital, Registration Officers Goma Devi Adhikari, Pramila Poudel, Tej Bahadur Darlami, Gautam Singh Dhami among others expressed their views on the current status and challenges of health insurance.