Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) informed that those aid agencies have committed to invest around Rs 1.5 billion in the reconstruction of the health facilities, including district hospitals and two referral hospitals, of 14 districts that were highly affected by the devastating earthquake."They have committed to invest over Rs 1.5 billion to reconstruct health facilities of 14 highly-affected districts and have also submitted letter of intent (LoI) at the ministry," Mahendra Bahadur Shrestha, chief of the Management Division at the MoHP, said.
According to Shrestha, the government of Germany has committed to reconstruct district hospitals of Gorkha, Rasuwa, Ramechhap and Dolakha districts. The government of the United States of America has proposed to reconstruct a primary health care center (PHC) at Barhabise and the district hospital of Sindhupalchowk.
Likewise, the South Korean government has committed to rebuild the Nuwakot District Hospital. The MoHP informed that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has committed to reconstruct the damaged buildings of Bir Hospital and Maternity Hospital in Kathmandu.
"All the hospitals will be of advanced quality and equipped with latest technologies required," added Shrestha. He informed that the MoHP has decided to construct health posts using prefab technology. Over 1,100 health facilities, including six district hospitals, were demolished by the devastative earthquake throughout the country.
Indian NGO fails to show funds for reconstruction
With the government's clampdown on raising funds in the name of earthquake victims, an Indian NGO, which had proposed to build over 100 health facilities, has abandoned its reconstruction plan.
Bhartiya Jain Sanghatan (BJS), an Indian NGO, which had proposed to reconstruct 100 health facilities that were demolished in the massive earthquake of April has abandoned its idea following the Ministry of Health and Population's (MoHP) refusal to let it raise fund.
"Bhartiya Jain Sanghatan had proposed to build over 100 health facilities, but when we asked them to show their fund they could not and backtracked their plan," Shrestha said.
According to Shrestha, the MoHP had asked the Indian NGO to announce its tentative budget it had planned to invest in reconstruction of the health facilities.
"We had even asked them to support as much as they could but they were unable to announce their budget," added Shrestha. He informed that the NGO had proposed to raise funds which the MoHP denied.
Officials at the MoHP said that the guidelines prepared by the ministry and instructions from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) have strictly prohibited raising funds in the name of quake victims.
"We showed our guidelines to them and asked them to support as much as they could but when they came to know that they would not be allowed to raise funds, they withdrew their plan to support for the cause," added Shrestha.
Meanwhile, BJS, has told Indian Express that that it was forced to abandon the idea of reconstruction plan due to harsh terms and conditions of the MoHP.
Related story
Municipalities without facilities
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
