KATHMANDU, July 20: The main opposition party CPN-UML has demanded the government resume the health insurance program at all hospitals.

Yogesh Bhattarai, head of Health and Population Department of UML, issued a statement on Wednesday and accused the government of taking an anti-people policy by removing the health insurance program from various hospitals in the country.

The statement says, "In terms of insurance, our party requests the government to resume the health insurance program in accordance with the previous arrangement by monitoring the wrong activities that may be done by the service providers."

According to the statement, it is well known that the previous government implemented health insurance as a public program for the smooth implementation of the fundamental rights related to health under Article 35 of the Constitution. The current government has conspired to end health insurance through the budget statement for fiscal year  2079/80.

Point 151 of the budget statement says, “In order to make the health insurance program more systematic and effective, arrangements will be made to provide the service to the beneficiaries only from community and government hospitals. For this, social health units will be established in all community and cooperative hospitals.”

It has been mentioned that necessary preparations will be made to run the health insurance program through the insurance company. It is clear that the government's policy is to reduce the number of insurance providers and keep them away from easy access, and on the other hand, it is a conspiracy of the government to shy away from its responsibility by introducing private companies in social health insurance, said Bhattarai. 

 
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