| Username |
Post |
| kewl |
Posted
on 24-Oct-02 10:33 PM
KATHMANDU, Oct 24 – The new Health Minister Dr. Upendra Devkota, has announced sweeping reforms in the health sector that would put in place a social health insurance policy as well as regulate private hospitals and nursing homes among others.
The reforms were announced Dr. Devkota during a press conference in Kathmandu Thursday.
Dr. Devkota said the government was putting in place the “social health insurance policy” to provide health security to the poorer sections of the society so that they can utilize the services available in the country.
According to Devkota, this system would be put in place at “organized level” by the end of this fiscal year and slowly expanded to cover central, regional, sub-regional and district level hospitals.
Dr. Devkota also announced that the government will discourage the use of “unnecessary checkups and recommendation of strong medicines” by doctors. A provision has also be made for patients to lodge complains regarding the services.
The Health Minister further announced measures to regulate private hospitals and nursing homes. According to the new measures, no private hospitals and nursing homes can operate without first obtaining government permission. The private sector hospitals will also be graded according to the facilities it provides and the qualification of its doctors and that the fees will be set according to this gradings within 15 days.
Doctors too will now be hard hit by the news measures, making it mandatory for them to obtain government permission to work in private sector hospitals if they already have commitments with government run hospitals. The measure also attempts to put a ceiling on the income of doctors working in private nursing homes although Dr. Devkota did not say how this would be done.
Dr. Devkota further announced that a postgraduate institute would be set up at Bir Hospital and it would coordinate with private sector to produce necessary experts. However, he also announced that doctors who wished to study there would have to work at regional hospital for a two-year period.
Hospital and health posts destroyed by the Maoists will also be rebuilt, Dr. Devkota annou
|
| SIWALIK |
Posted
on 24-Oct-02 11:00 PM
Remiscent of panchayati sloganeering. Sounds good on paper.
|
| kewl |
Posted
on 24-Oct-02 11:01 PM
Better than Girija and Maukune GundaGardi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
| Taha Cha |
Posted
on 24-Oct-02 11:05 PM
It is indeed a plaudable effor and a great effort in the history of Nepal. I am very happy to hear such reforms taking place.
|
| rat-a-tat |
Posted
on 24-Oct-02 11:49 PM
Kewl, I appreciate your efforts to inform Sajhaites of the latest happenings back home. However, I strongly object to your action of not giving any credit to the news source you have "lifted" this news article from. Your action, I emphasise, is equal to plagiarism - an issue that has been widely objected by most of us here at Sajha.
The news article is lifted from Kantipur Online. You have not mentioned it anywhere and have also deleted the part "KOL News" at the top as well as the byline in initials at the end of the news that gives credit to the proper news source. Otherwise, you simply could have saved a lot of space for San by summarizing the news and placeing a link to www.kantipuronline.com for details.
I hope you publicly apologize here on Sajha to, whether or not your actions were filled with malified intentions, so that you could set a good example to others here at Sajha and prevent such things from happening again.
|
| Yeti |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 01:00 AM
SIWALIK speaks a typical Nepali Mind. Mind made by Bahudaliya Nepal. Lost the guts of taking things positively. A typical mind of middle class "yo sab bakbas ho. yo hunai sakdaina. kasari huna sakcha nepalma yasto ramro kura. yo power ma basna ko lagi garna khojya hola. credit lina hola. yaslai hun dinu hunna, kinaki yasale credit pauchha". Nepal's modern culture. Thank you Siwalik ji for practicing this culture even in Sajhapur. Lets see somemore will join you in this damfu bajau, kaam garna nadeu ra bhagau. You will justify your claim "yo hunai sakdaina prediction", do you have guts to support Dr. Upendra? Do you have guts to think, yas idea lai ke garyo bhane successful huncha? BTW, are you younger brother Madan Bhandari? Who on the first day of formation of elected Nepali Congress Govt. after 2046, said "yo sarkar lai girayerai chhadna parcha, he did not say, lets work together and make nepal better." Nepal is suffering from the trend established by Madan Bhandari. From blood relation, you migt not have any relation, but, your statement gives you have "dimagiya daju bhai ko relation". Kaam garnai naparne lai "byabahara (=kaam) ma daju bhai bhanne kurai garnai paiyena". Tyasaile dimagiya daju bhai bhaneko ni.
|
| KaLaNkIsThAn |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 05:37 AM
Dr. Upendra Jyu is already successful. Aba katti successful hune?
Baru tyo wish hamlai dim na. Success has become that train that doesn't stop here anymore.
Dinu parne lai nadiyera, di sakya lai katti dya?
Ham pani ta cha ni line ma, Kalanki pani tyanki ko kasam.
Hamlai ni dium na wish, so that I could....
1. ..tyantar-myantar with sauni ko chroi (parna parna parna lagya cha)
2. ..sing taaki o taaki around kalanki mandir ko pipal bot
3. ..open safa momo pashal right next to sauni ko pashal
Samajhta nahi!!
Samajh samajh ke jo na samjhe us naasamajh ko kya samjhana???
Marega sir pe hagega ghar pe kya??
haaan!!!
|
| kewl |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 05:55 AM
rat-a-tat :
Sorry ...but intention was not like that...any way it was copied from Kantipur online site..I was so excited to read the news, i did not realize i did not write news source,,,,,,
|
| dirk |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 09:29 AM
Siwalik the Cynic...cometh!
|
| oys_chill |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 10:52 AM
Agree with yeti wholeheartedly..
can't expect anything positive..has to be some kinda propaganda and conspiracy..and the intellectual analyst is yet far from home WHINING WHINING WHINING!!!
sorry to bring Nchuche (perhaps dai) again...
"homiez with da stolen goodz are loud as hell"
Kalankistan jyu, next tyam chai i gotta migrate to kalanki..............ko raiche yo sauni ko chori ;)
oys
|
| kalankisthan |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 12:17 PM
Balla Balla Mero love story house full ka saath 3rd week ma puryana laagya bela Mora oyes le balchi hanna khojcha!!!
Oye bro oyes, kalanki ma khutta tekya ta thaa paam, ek dinchu naak ma, ghumaayera!!!
hehehehe
(PKB le sunla ni, GBNC ma threat diyo bhanera yessai ranthanni raa cha)
|
| Poonte |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 01:35 PM
Oi, Kalanki!
Mero bhai lai aek deko herum ta? Tukucha ko pani ko kassam mero bhai lai chhoys bhane aek ta ke...dui pani hoina...fananannananananana ghumayera, teen, char, panch, chha...bhetlas...lou ja ta ba! ani fankera tero sauni ko kakh ma puglas...sauni ko chhori chai mero bhai ko kakh ma :P
____________________
Call me cynic like Siwalik, but I'd rather see some actions before giving Dr. Communist-turned-mandale any credit for his superb plans.
|
| kalankisthan |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 01:43 PM
Poo dai,
Hazur lai Jori khojne mero tyatro hutti kaha cha ra??
Galti le mistake bhayecha, ke ke lekhechu ke ke. Actually bhanna khojya kura chai, Poo jyu ra Oooos jyu kahile palnu hune ho kalanki ma, Chandre kashai lai bhanera Khasi ko right thigra book garaunu paryo bhanya ke. Baru esso khabar paam na hazur lai kun Beer pesh garda thick hola? carlsberg ki Iceberg?
La ta hai, telephone garnus la aaunu bhanda 3 din agadi.
lau bye!!
(essssss... sudhar jaa kalanki sudhar jaa, bolnu bhanda agadi 3 choti soch, kasko kata connection cha, ra kasko pachadi ko cha bhanne kura naak ma punch paresi matrai thaa huncha bhanne kura samajh jaa)
essss... bairi piya... essss
|
| dirk |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 02:17 PM
Poonte,
Exactly!!! You and Siwalik should give the good doctor a chance to prove himself.Have some sense of decency and refrain from using epithets like "mandale" or "panche" . I don't think Dr. Devkota has hidden agendas other than to bring about positive changes in the healthcare system of Nepal, which we all know is pretty dismal.
|
| Poonte |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 04:02 PM
Dirk,
"Let's give this one a chance."
We've said this too many times before, and EVERYTIME they've failed us miserably: the Panches, Kangresis, or the Communists alike. I think it is about time we, as a people, rose up, faced the reality, and laid our suspicions out in the open Tundikhel right in the beginning so that they would be challenged to do what they promise to do. I'd rather be called a cynic than quietly aquiesce to the possible "kaan chirya jogis."
Furthermore, in light of the fact that they have promised an election "soon," how do you think Hon. Dr. Devkota plans to implement his "plans," which supposedly takes years to materialize? Public relations--merely a PROPAGANDA--that's what it looks like to me. Until, at least, I see some fruitful actions backed by genuine dedication!
|
| SIWALIK |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 05:50 PM
Cynic? maybe. But I would like to see the feasibility of such a plan. Many dreams have been woven to dupe the "sidhasahda" Nepalese.
The plans call for "social health insurance policy” to provide health security to the poorer sections of the society so that they can utilize the services available in the country."
Look carefully what it says: "services available in the country." Most of the areas outside kathmandu valley lacks health services. Even if a place has a health post, there are no one to work. Is that the health service available that is to be utilized? Even the better off municipalities lack descent hospitals. We have to think which world we are living in.
Health service and insurance plan requires a strong tax base. 42% of us live below poverty line. Unemployment rate is 47%. Our government does not even have institutional capacity to collect income tax from us. Where is the revenue to suppor this "pipe dream"? Nepal depends on foreign aid for 60 percent of its budget. Do we have the resources for healthcare system?
Of course I am not going to keep you from buying into something so nobel and worthy. Maybe I can just see through the ruge, who knows? Only time will tell who has the better perspective. I hope you do!
But then I have seen a lot of the hilly areas of Nepal and I am aware what magnificent facilites and the medical practitionesr we are blessed with. Who can better our dhami jhankirs? sammans? You bet we can all utilize these health services. However, maybe your Nepal is different from mine. All the best with your dreams!
|
| dirk |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 06:21 PM
Poonte, If everybody was a cynic like you, we'd still be in Stone-Age! Of Course, it takes time to implement programs. That doesn't mean we shouldn't start it. May be the new government would be able to continue it if it is deemed to be a successful effort and set a precedent for others to follow.
Just because you don't agree with the recent changes in the political scenerio, it shouldn't be that you have to refute each and every action or plan of the present government. You are more and more sounding like Girija....sour grapes, huh?
|
| Yatree |
Posted
on 25-Oct-02 09:37 PM
The caretaker government should STOP doing any kind of sweeping reforms or policy announcements. Hello!!! The ministers are King G’s pawns – if they already don’t know it. And they don’t have people’s mandate.
The private health care sector has done a great service to the general Nepali public. The private hospitals/nursing homes have done what government-run wayyyy substandard hospitals/doctors could not do to the patients. The pioneering nursing homes were opened to provide treatment to the patients who would have gone to India or Thailand anyway. They took huge financial and career risks in opening those health care facilities.
Why the govt. wants to control the private sector that the govt. didn't help to create? Didn't provide loan and in most cases the doctors are not trained by govt. money or sifaris.
If people cannot afford or if they choose to, they can go to government hospitals anytime. If they can afford, they can go to the private hospitals of their choice depending upon their ability to pay. If the government intends to exert control over the private hospitals, then is the government also willing to provide easy-term loans and import of machines/equipments for abroad? You cannot set the price of food at Annapurna/YaK&Yeti based on the price of at a roadside chiya_pasal.
Do not stifle the private enterprise. At least some of the patients who can afford are getting good care at those facilities. It is not a monopoly and people are free to choose the doctor and hospitals.
Would you like to leave the health care to the government? I don't.
|
| dirk |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 09:59 AM
What about people who can't afford the snazzy nursing homes and private hospitals.....and I am not talking about only Kathmandu....people in remote areas somtimes have to walk a several days to reach a government hospital. The level of care and treatments available are quite odious. There needs to be sweeping reforms for the benefit for ALL. People who can really afford the best...have nothing to worry about. They'll still be able to get the best healthcare the money can buy.I don't think the purpose of new policies is to corrode the level of healthcare already available in Kathmandu and other "cities" in Nepal. Government is not wanting to control but rather regulate. Even in the mighty democracy like the US where laissez fair is the raison d’être, there is some sort of regulation in all sectors of commerce and industry.
|
| SIWALIK |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 11:28 AM
What we see here is Nepali public's willingness to be led to the slaughter, as so many times in our past by every political leader that has come across our horizon. Sand castles and dreams seem to be the order of the day. Some kind of psychological evaluation of this culture is in order. We need to understand why. Maybe then we can devise appropriate policies.
|
| Poonte |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 11:39 AM
Dirk,
I don't know about us still living in the stone ages, but I think we are as poor, and as destitute, as we are now because of our laid back attitude in the past. We have been too much of silent followers in the past; and until we rise up and challenge the governmetn, we will still be damned with the same destitution that we are now in the years to come.
The first and foremost priority of the present caretaker government shuold be securing the peace and stability and holding the elections ASAP. The kind of broad reforms that you envision is marvelous, but that task should be addressed by the future elected government. I would rather see this government come up with immediate plans to end the Maoist insurgency and to hold elections than see them trying to convolute the population with nice-sounding, but unrealistic policies on other issues.
|
| VillageVoice |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 02:24 PM
What Poonte and Siwalik have voiced is healthy skepticism - not cynicism. As far as I am concerned, they haven't dismissed the dakatarsaab altogether; what they are saying is that his plans look ambitious. They certainly do to me too. But I am not dismissing dr. devkota - and I don't think the gentlemen are either.
And I sincerely hope the Health Minister goes far. As in all poor countries, Nepal's government does have a huge role to play in the social sector - health, education, etc. - where the private capital doesn't typically flow.
At the risk of being labelled a UML sympathizer, let me just add a bit along those lines.
Padma Ratna Tuladhar, as the minister of health in the 1995-96 UML government, did definitely go a long way toward taking the city-based healthcare to the remote villages.
Here's one anecdotal story said to me by a relative, a medical doctor. Tuladhar told his neice's (?) family who had gone to ask him that their young daughter, a doctor, not be transferred to a remote hospital, "Malai afnai manchele pani support garena bhane kalle garne?"
Subsequently, I never saw that kinda commitment to serve the villages - among any Kangressi or coalition govts. Doesn't that in part explain the rural insurgency?
[Let me add, this relative of mine is anything but a communist daktar :) ]
Though I was much disillusioned by padma ratna's politics subsuquently, I am still inclined to believe that his tenure as the health minster offers a rare bright spot in the development of Nepal's much neglected public health which, to this day, remains the only way the poor villagers receive any healthcare.
Some may argue that the expensive health camps that Tuladhar would set up in remote areas, and ask the very best doctors to serve, were initiatives possible only under a (totalitarian?) communist government (running those clinics were admittedly very, very expensive!!). But that was perhaps the only way one could help the cash-strapped people in say nothern Sankhuwasabha to whom even Dhankuta is a far, far away foreign land.
The UML netas - with their ever-changing rhetoric on Monarchy, Democracy, Judiciary, Press - *were* a frightening lot to me, a city-based middleclass professional, but they did get a few things done, esp. in the villages - where most of nepal lives anyway.
|
| SIWALIK |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 06:36 PM
Even if someone were to devise the greatest of policies and visions, they will have a hard time workingout in Nepal? Why? It all comes down to individual attitude. Maybe it is cultural trait now. Like in that anecdotal example of VV, we want others to do the heavy lifting. We want someone else to do the work while we take it easy. So, what if we have the best of health plan? Let some other doctors go to remove villages, just not me or my relatives. A classic problem of collective action--too many free riders in Nepal. Just look at the topic of this thread. It says, "LETS WISH SUCCESS FOR DR. UPENDRA..." As if if we wish someone success, that somehow fulfills out obligation. Maybe the right approach, if he was serious in his commendable goal of providing healthcare for the poor, would have been, "How can we help to...."
And mind you how quick these people are to start calling names, labelling or outright ridiculing others without sightest of idea who the person might be... And if someone proposes to sell them the Brooklyn bridge, they are ready to buy it without stopping to think....
We do not even realize how much of our attitude is self-defeating!
|
| Biswo |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 06:46 PM
I share some of the skepticisms expressed here.
The time Dr Devkota announced the new policies was just a week into his tenure as health minister. We don't know who prepared those policies for Dr Devkota, or whether he himself prepared them during his tea time.
While remaining professionally respectful to Dr Devkota, I remain doubtful about his political moves and his grandstanding, highfalutin comments and other gaffes fail to assure me. I hope this health policy works, but any policy made without sufficient deliberation and homeworks is very likely to bring more bad results than good results.
|
| SMR |
Posted
on 26-Oct-02 11:41 PM
It reminds me of Hillary Clinton's grandios health care design that failed miserably. For Nepal, it will mean two things: either raise taxes or put burden on private sector ar other employees to subsidise it. Insuring 23 mill is not a joke. A with so many other priorities, I don;t know how he can do it.
I think Dr. Devkota's training ground UK, which has a socialized medicine, has to do a lot with his plan. But, we should not forget that UK is a very roich country.
All I can say is that Mr. Devkota's intentions are good and refreshing. At least, someone is thinking about the country and I do not doubt his sincerity.
But, I believe, being a member of an interim government, he should not plunge the nation into such a grand design. We need to engage other political parties too.
|
| Yatree |
Posted
on 27-Oct-02 12:10 AM
Quoting the news:
"The Health Minister further announced measures to regulate private hospitals and nursing homes. ... private sector hospitals will also be graded according to the facilities it provides and the qualification of its doctors and that the fees will be set according to this gradings within 15 days.
Doctors too will now be hard hit by the news measures, making it mandatory for them to obtain government permission to work in private sector hospitals if they already have commitments with government run hospitals. The measure also attempts to put a ceiling on the income of doctors working in private nursing homes although Dr. Devkota did not say how this would be done."
All the private sector doctor and nursing home fees determined by the Government?
That also within 15 days?
Limit of income of Doctor's working in private sector to be set by the Government? (Sarkar le tokeko bhanda badhi kamauna napaune?)
Is Devkota's administration going to take care of the millions of dollars of investments (mostly through loans) in the nursing homes.
What it will do is destroy what is being built. If the government really wants to do something in the healthcare sector, then build and expand government hospitals and health centers. Make them good enough so that the people can have an option.
|
