After nearly decades of apathy and negligence, Nepal’s health sector has received the highest priority in the annual budget. Presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2021-22, Minister for Finance Bishnu Poudel said the government has raised the budget for the health sector to Rs. 122.77 billion for the fiscal year 2021/22 against Rs. 90.69 previous year.

As the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic has gripped the country, the government gives high priority to the prevention and control of coronavirus pandemic and infectious diseases. The government has allocated Rs. 37.53 billion for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. He also mentioned that test and treatment of COVID-19 would be free.

Minister Paudel said that the government has given priority to save the life of people. “The main priority of the budget is to save lives and address the ongoing epidemic.”

Minister Poudel allocated Rs.26 billion to purchase the vaccines for all. Minister Poudel said that Rs. 4 billion has been allocated for procurement of ICUs, HDUs, ventilators, test kits including other health equipment, required for treatment of COVID-19.

The government would give special priority to the management of medical oxygen, said Minister Poudel and added that no COVID patient should lose their life in lack of oxygen.

Poudel also said that the government has allocated Rs. 1.30 billion budget for building a 300-bed infectious disease hospital in the capital and 50-bed hospitals in each province.

Source: The Rising Nepal