Ministry of Health Directs Hospitals to Operate OPD Services on Public Holidays

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

Spokesperson for the ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, confirmed that the circular urges these hospitals to continue offering OPD services during public holidays.

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

According to Dr Budhathoki, the circular was sent to various hospitals, including Bir Hospital, Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital, Bheri Hospital, National Tuberculosis Centre, Koshi Hospital, Nepal Eye Hospital, Kanti Children's Hospital, Sahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, and Patan Academy of Health Sciences, among others.

A special provision on public service delivery, cited in a notice published in the Nepal Gazette by the Ministry of Home Affairs, mandates that hospitals must provide all categories of services, including OPD, even on public holidays.

The government issued this directive in response to public complaints that many hospitals and health facilities were not providing all types of health services on public holidays. -- RSS