The government-owned hospitals are the primary choice for ordinary people in case they are taken ill. The main reasons behind this are affordable and quality treatment of diseases.  Yet, the dismal condition of the government-owned hospitals in the country compels ordinary citizens to seek treatment in private hospitals, where appointments with doctors are more readily available.

KATHMANDU, Nov 24: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has recently approved a new procedure to implement the Public Health Service Act in order to provide 10 percent free beds for the poor in hospitals within the metropolis.

KATHMANDU, May 6: The Ministry of Health and Population has vowed to take action against the private hospitals if they are found charging COVID-19 patients exorbitantly high fees.

KATHMANDU, May 5: The private hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley are found charging exorbitantly high fees for COVID-19 treatment.

KATHMANDU, Dec 7: The Ministry of Health and Population has directed the private hospitals not to charge additional fees to the patients in the name of health care services on the pretext of COVID-19 treatment.

KATHMANDU, Aug 14: The government has asked private hospitals to allocate 20 percent of their beds for COVID-19 patients as the increasing number of cases has left only a few beds available for new COVID-19 patients in the coronavirus-designated hospitals.

KATHMANDU, May 19: As the government has already approved private and community hospitals to conduct COVID-19 tests through rapid diagnostic test (RDT) method, the general public can be tested at these health institutions starting this week.

KATHMANDU, April 6: The government is planning to bring all private hospitals under its control in order to fight against the coronavirus (Covid-19) that has wreaked havoc across the world, a senior government official said on Sunday.

KATHMANDU, March 31: At a time when the media have reported the denial of private hospitals to serve the patients suffering from COVID-19 like symptoms across the country, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order that private hospitals need to arrange a facility to treat the COVID-19 patients.

KATHMANDU, March 28: Though private hospitals in Kathmandu have set up fever clinics to test suspected COVID-19 cases as directed by the government, medics are collecting swab samples and keeping the suspected cases in isolation without wearing personal protection equipment (PPE).

RANJA, March 15: Although the government health facilities are well equipped to conduct delivery, the number of patients for this is very low as compared to those visiting the private hospitals for the health service. Free health service is provided under the 'Safe Motherhood Programme,' but people's attraction toward it is least here.