Kathmandu. The Karnali Province government has presented the budget for the coming fiscal year 2083/84. Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning of Karnali state, Rajiv Bikram Shah, has given special priority to the health sector in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Minister Shah said that the Karnali Provincegovernment in the budget for the coming fiscal year has given special priority to increase the incentive allowance of women health volunteers, nutrition allowance for new mothers, upgradation of community health centers in rural areas, nutrition of new mothers and rescue of new mothers ।

‘I have continued the maternity nutrition allowance given to new mothers in public health institutions. “The incentive allowance provided by the Karnali state government to Rs 24, 000 has been increased by 100 per cent to Rs 24,000 for health volunteers who have been making significant contributions to the rural health sector,” he said. ’

Minister Shah said that arrangements have been made to digitize the records of every health institution and necessary budget has been allocated to strengthen health services along with physical infrastructure by assessing the number of patients, pressure and additional services to the basic hospitals run by the local level.

‘Laboratory services of provincial hospitals and basic hospitals will be strengthened. “In order to make the services of the provincial public health laboratory effective and quality, necessary budget has been arranged to upgrade the provincial public health laboratory as a dispatch laboratory by arranging human resources, physical infrastructure and equipment,” he said. ’

Minister Shah said that necessary budget has been allocated to provide blood free of cost to the poor and senior citizens in the state hospitals and to expand the kidney dialysis service at the District Hospital, Dai lekh.

‘Cancer, Heart, Kidney, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Anemia, Rickets, Sickle Cell Anemia, Spinal Injury, Head Injury, A sum ofRs. 25 million has been allocated for the treatment of patients suffering from chronic diseases such as autism. He said, “Arrangements will be made to identify the diseases by conducting health check-up at the community level of senior citizens, singlewomen and people with disabilities.” ’ 

Minister Shah said that Rs 439 million has been allocated to give continuity to e-health, telemedicine specialist service, health camps, oncology service, burn treatment service and the establishment and operation of emergency health treatment fund would be continued.

‘Arrangements shall be made to use the fund in response. I have allocated the necessary budget for the prevention of tropical diseases. “Necessary budget has been allocated to provide additional services to the pregnant women and new mothers with complicated conditions and to send them to the district÷state hospitals on time if necessary,” he said. ’

Minister Shah said that Rs 7 3 million has been allocated for the purchase of dental equipment, biomedical equipment, other essential machinery and necessary equipment for birthing centres in order to make the hospitals and health posts of Karnali province well-equipped. 

‘The government has allocated Rs 22.2 million to continue the effective operation of the Basic Health Centre÷Community Health Units in collaboration with the local governments to provide minimum basic health services to the local people in remote rural areas. “Necessary arrangements have been made to prepare a package for yoga, meditation, lifestyle change and psycho-social health promotion,” he said. Necessary budget has been allocated for the operation of the Karnali Total Health Campaign to develop Karnali as a health tourism hub. ’

Minister Shah said that Ayurvedic medicine production centre would be strengthened to make it self-reliant in Ayurveda medicine by upgrading the Province Ayurveda Hospital and Research Centre and Ayurveda Health Centre.

A budget of Rs. 64.1 million has been allocated for the protection and promotion of traditional knowledge and skills to integrate alternative medicine services with the lifestyle of the people. “Necessary budget has been allocated for preventive , curative, rehabilitative and promotional health care programmes to carry out drug abuse, road accidents, mental health, psycho-social counseling and rehabilitation and control of non-communicable diseases in coordination and collaboration with the federal, state and local governments,” he said. ’

Minister Shah said that various awareness programmes, social behaviour change, nutrition and treatment services would be made effective to reduce maternal, child, infant and infant mortality rate.Likewise, Minister Shah said that Rs 65.908 million has been allocated for continuity of supplementary food programme to improve the nutritional status of children, adolescents and new mothers.