KATHMANDU, May 28: Until about five years ago, Nepal's leaders and high-ranking officials frequently traveled abroad for medical treatment using government service facilities whenever needed.
However, the Bir Hospital Medical Board reports that over the past three to four years, leaders and senior officials have stopped traveling abroad for treatment at the government's expense. During this period, only Nepali Congress lawmaker Chandra Bhandari, who suffered severe injuries in a fire, has come to the Bir Hospital Medical Board for a treatment recommendation, said board member Arun Mahat.
"Two years ago, when Nepal could not provide the necessary treatment, MP Chandra Bhandari traveled to India; since then, no other leaders have sought recommendations," Mahat said.
Experts say that five years ago, the government implemented policies and regulations to stop providing benefits for treatments abroad that are available in Nepal. This policy effectively ended the practice of government-funded medical treatment abroad for leaders.
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Former Health Minister Gagan Thapa first introduced the proposal in Parliament to prohibit unnecessary foreign medical treatment for VIPs. After Parliament passed the proposal, his administration formulated the related regulations, although implementation lagged initially.
Former Health Minister Mohan Bahadur Basnet later started enforcing these regulations. During his tenure, he formed a 15-member medical treatment committee to oversee VIP and VVIP patient care.
The committee, led by Dr Bhupendra Basnet, Vice Chancellor of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, includes members such as Dr Bhagwan Koirala and Dr Ram Kanth Makaju.
Dr Basnet says that since the regulations took effect, some individuals have traveled abroad for treatment at their own expense, but none have requested government funding. "They may have used the excuse of traveling to seek treatment, but we have no information confirming this," he said. "However, no one has gone abroad for treatment based on a National Medical Board recommendation."
He points out that recent advances in specialized medical services and equipment availability in Nepal have enabled prominent individuals and leaders to receive treatment domestically. "Some leaders may have chosen to go abroad privately, but others have received treatment here in Nepal," he added.
Dr Basnet also noted that leaders and senior officials have not recently visited the VIP and VVIP wards at Bir Hospital. Although no leaders have come this year, some did in previous years.
He mentioned that former President Ram Baran Yadav was admitted to Bir Hospital for one week for treatment. Other leaders have also sought treatment at the hospital.
Dr Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, attributes the decline in medical treatment abroad partly to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance in 2022 (2079 BS), which emphasize the need to economize government spending. "The National Medical Board does not recommend going abroad for treatments available in Nepal, which may have also contributed to the decline," he said.
He added that the government continues to cover expenses for treatment at both private and government hospitals within Nepal. Until about five years ago, the government spent millions annually on leaders and ministers traveling abroad for medical care. That expenditure has now significantly decreased.
