KATHMANDU, Feb 6: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has established an 11-member Free Treatment Service Directorate Committee (FTSDC) under the coordination of Balendra Shah, the Mayor of KMC.

The committee, comprised of representatives from relevant offices, was formed during a meeting at the Mayor's office on Monday. The FTSDC is tasked with ensuring the systematic, transparent, and technologically based delivery of the hospital's free treatment services to the target group.

Implementation will be overseen by the Public Health Department of the metropolis, and for effective execution, KMC has issued the Procedures for Free Treatment, 2080 BS.

Members of the committee include KMC Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, Chief Administrative Officer Pradeep Pariyar, and Health and Education Committee Coordinator Chinikaji Maharjan. Additionally, Ekdev Khanal from the Ministry of Health, Khageshwar Gelal from the State Ministry of Health, Bishwaraj Dawadi from the Nepal Medical Council, Chandeshwar Vaidya (president of the Association of Private Health Institutions of Nepal), and Shukla Khanal from the Nepal Nursing Council are also part of the committee.

Among the heads of government hospitals, Pankaj Rai from Kanti Hospital has been nominated as a member. The committee's member secretary is Sajina Maharjan, head of the health department of the metropolis.

Mayor Shah stated, "We aim to simplify the process of giving and receiving services. We desire that health institutions can exercise the rights granted by law, and that the target groups can effectively receive free treatment. To this end, we have discussed the matter with partners. The online system implemented by the metropolis is user-friendly. Technology bridges the gap between service providers and recipients. Should there be any difficulties, the metropolis will facilitate resolution.”

KMC has developed an accessible platform at https://freehealth.kathmandu.gov.np/ to enhance transparency in the free treatment system. This system displays services available at each hospital, the number of beds, current occupancy, and vacancies.

Public Health Inspector Dhanendra Shrestha explained the features of the system during the meeting. According to him, the system has been tested in regional free hospitals and Kathmandu Model Hospital.

The system will provide detailed information on the number of people treated for specific diseases, duration of treatment, admission and discharge dates, and other relevant details. Access to the service will be based on government-issued indigent identity cards and recommendations from local wards. This service is available to citizens across the country.

A username and password are required to operate the system. The public health department plans to provide orientation to the heads and medical recorders of all private hospitals within the metropolitan area from February 8 to 12. Sajina Maharjan, head of the department, stated, "After the orientation, hospitals will be provided with usernames and passwords to run the system."

During the meeting, participants suggested streamlining the process for the target group to access treatment and ensuring a system is in place for them to receive care. Partners recommended halting the practice of submitting false information and adopting a method that does not create undue pressure. They also suggested that if hospitals find it challenging to treat complex diseases, the emergency health fund arranged by the federal government should be utilized.

 
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