Patients at Ramkumar Sharda Uma Prasad Murarka Provincial Hospital in Lahan are facing a shortage of free medicines provided under the health insurance program for the past three months. Although the Government of Nepal ensures treatment and medicines worth up to Rs 100,000 free of cost for patients covered under health insurance, the hospital has been unable to provide the prescribed medicines. Parbati Chaudhary of Lahan Municipality-22 reported that she was unable to obtain medicines prescribed by doctors following an insurance-covered check-up, as the hospital pharmacy had run out of stock. Similarly, Yogendra Yadav of Lahan Municipality-23 stated that he was compelled to purchase his regular medications privately, questioning that if patients have to buy their own medicines, what is the point of having insurance.
Ranjit Jha, Medical Superintendent of Ramkumar Sharda Uma Prasad Murarka Provincial Hospital, Lahan, stated that although the hospital provides health insurance services, it has been unable to procure medicines due to pending insurance claim payments. He explained that approximately Rs1,00,00,000 in insurance reimbursements remain unpaid, preventing the hospital from purchasing and distributing necessary medications. The Medical Superintendent, Jha, stated that although the hospital is a 15-bed facility, it is expected to function as a 100-bed hospital. However, due to insufficient support from both the central and provincial governments, the hospital faces operational difficulties. He added that the hospital has been running despite incomplete support from the Hospital Development Committee. He stated that medicines will be purchased and distributed as soon as the insurance payments are received. The hospital, which serves 300 to 400 patients daily, has been providing services beyond just medicines under the insurance scheme, as per Superintendent Jha.
Durga Pariyar