Health ministry demands 10 pc of total budget

KATHMANDU, July 7 - The upcoming budget for Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has special focus on women and child health, besides demanding increased budget for medicines that are distributed for free at sub-health posts and health posts throughout the country.The Ministry of Health and Population has proposed a ... ...of Rs 18 billion that is about 10 percent of the total estimated national budget. The Health Ministry and Finance Ministry have already reached understanding on about Rs 15 billion. "We are pushing to make it Rs 18 billion," said Dr Babu Ram Marasini, deputy health administrator at the ministry. "But it depends on the sensitivity of the finance minister.The Health Ministry has proposed massive surgical treatment for women suffering from uterus prolapse under its budget for the coming fiscal year. It has proposed 12,000 free surgeries for women living with their fallen wombs. "Government hospitals with surgical treatment will provide the service besides some private health institutions," Dr Marasini said.Similarly, the ministry has decided to start new vaccine for children. The vaccine heemophilous influnzae (Hib), which prevents pneumonia among children, has been proposed under the regular vaccination program for children. Another new program proposed in the upcoming budget is transportation allowance for Kala-azar patients, who come to the health facility for treatment.Likewise, the budget for child health has been doubled. Last year, the total budget for child health was Rs 1. The proposed budget is Rs 2. Higher priority has been given to nutrition program. The latest Demographic and Health Survey of the ministry says that despite remarkable achievement in maternal and child health, the country has not progressed much in the field of child nutrition.Similarly, seven more districts with surgical facility have been proposed for 24-hour maternity service.Out of the total budget, Rs 1.4 billion has been proposed for free health services that are in place since the ongoing fiscal year, which had received Rs 800 million for the purpose.

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