KATHMANDU, Jan 3: The reform committee formed by the Ministry of Health and Population to improve the health insurance sector handed over its report to the Minister of Health and Population (MoHP) Pradeep Paudel on Friday.
In the report handover ceremony held at the ministry, Minister Paudel expressed his commitment to implementing the recommendations suggested in the report. “This report includes plans and topics for improving health insurance,” he said, “We will study the report and implement it.”
He stated that the existing health insurance program is not well-organized, and the target groups cannot fully benefit from the services. He mentioned that the report will help improve the program. He also indicated that the report will be submitted to the Cabinet and made public after some time.
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The MoHP Secretary, Hari Prasad Mainali, stated that the report submitted for the improvement of health insurance marks the beginning of good work. “We prepared the report, which includes a strategy related to health insurance, after discussing with experts at various stages,” he said, “We will study it and develop an action plan."
On September 25, Minister Paudel formed a nine-member committee, chaired by senior public health expert Dr. Shambhu Prasad Acharya, to improve health insurance. Dr Acharya commented that the report examines the opportunities and challenges in the health insurance sector.
"Health insurance is a large program,” he said, “The report includes efforts for immediate and future improvements to ensure its effective operation.” He added that the committee prepared the report after studying the practices of neighboring countries where health insurance is implemented, as well as international health insurance systems, and finalized the recommendations.
The committee included Dr Raghuraj Kaphle, former vice-chairman of the Policy and Planning Commission of Gandaki Province, senior heart surgeon Prof Dr Bhagwan Koirala, and secretaries from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security, and the National Planning Commission. Additionally, the committee appointed the executive director of the Health Insurance Board, the head of the Ministry's Quality Measurement and Regulation Division, and representatives from the private sector as members.
