Kathmandu, Feb. 3:Minister for Health Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has said that in the context of the minimum level of cancer treatment facilities available for cancer patients in hospitals in Nepal, the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital established with the cooperation of the government of China would provide quality services.

He observed that establishment of an international standard hospital with all kinds of equipment, technology and facilities needed for the treatment of every kind of cancer has provided a great relief to Nepalese cancer patients.

Talking to rss at his office today, Dr. Yadav expressed the confidence that the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital would play a leading role in the field of cancer treatment through the three-pronged preventive, curative and promotional strategy as per its objectives.

He said that the hospital was important in that it would save Nepalese a huge amount of money spent going abroad for the treatment of cancer.

The availability of international standard cancer treatment services within one’s own country would provide great relief and help in building confidence in the patients, he added.

He said the hospital for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer was established in memory of the popular leader the late B.P. Koirala who suffered for a long time from cancer of the throat and ultimately died of the disease.

The government of China had expressed its intention to construct the hospital in Nepal at the estimated cost of Rs 820 million as a token of friendship and long-standing relations betwen Nepal and China during a friendly visit paid to China by then prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala in 2049 bs.

The agreement for the construction of the hospital between the then Chinese prime minister Li Peng and then prime minister of Nepal Girija Prasad Koirala can be considered historic in cancer prevention and control.

The B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital came to fruition after the parliament adopted the   B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital bill tabled by His Majesty’s Government in 2053 bs.

In course of the talk, Minister Yadav  said that a lot of work such as opening health institutions outside Kathmandu valley in order to extend preventive health services to the doorsteps of the people, opening primary health sub-centres at every village and primary health centres at the constituency level and improving  the quality and management of health services at the district, zonal and regional hospitals had been carried out in accordance with the New Health Policy introduced during the time of the Nepali Congress government.

He said big hospitals with ultra-modern facilities and medical colleges were opened in Chitwan, Dharan, Pokhara and Nepalgunj in this period for  the training and production of skilled manpower in the health sector.

Dr. Yadav described the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital constructed with the joint investment of the governments of Nepal and China and the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan started with the collaboration of Nepal and India, as landmarks in the Nepalese health sector.

A majority of the people in Nepal live in the villages and it is the view of the Nepali Congess that means and resources should be allocated to the villages, Minister Yadav said, adding, but three or four medical colleges were opened in the capital against the spirit of the health policy formulated by the Nepali Congress government during a time of political instability in the past.

Our intention is that these kinds of medical colleges should be opened only outside Kathmandu valley, he clarified.

He said some amendments were being considered in the act governing the B.P. Koirala Memorial Hospital under which the Health Minister would be  ex-officio chairman of the hospital.

The Health Minister also expressed his intention of making reductions in the perks and facilities enjoyed by the chairman of the hospital board of governors which he said was a big amount considering the economic standing of the country.

The chairman of the hospital board of directors draws a monthly allowance of Rs 55,000 and enjoys a large number of other facilities, which is a big liability for a country like ours, he said.

He expressed the view that the chairman of the board of governers should hold an honorary post and the powers and perks of the director general and members of the board of directors should be reduced through timely amendments in the related acts and regulations. He added that the present board of directors would be reconstituted.

Minister for Health Dr. Yadav also was critical of the hospital management for its decision to procure two radiotherapy machines at the same time.

The economic condition of the country and the pressure of  patients should have been considered before buying the equipment. The second one should have been purchased only if the first one had become dysfunctional. Two machines, each costing  Rs 280 million, have been bought at the same time, he said.

Hinting at involvement of big commission interests in the purchase of the machines, the minister vowed to check such irregularities and said  non-technical, contract level staff and staff working on wage basis  would be removed and he would not allow negligence at a sensitive institution like the hospital.

Executive Director of the hospial Dr. Sampurnananda Dhungana said that all kinds of facilities, equipment and services were available for the treatment of cancer at the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital which was built to the same standard as Chinese cancer hospitals.

He said the facilities and services available at B.P. Koirala Memorial Hospital were not less than the facilities and quality of service at the Tata Cancer Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Hospital in India.

Ten cancer patients have been referred for treatment here from India by Tata Hospital and other hospitals. This shows the standard of treatment facilities at B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, he said.

He said that a team of Chinese specialists was also working there.

Senior politician Nirmal Lama who had gone to India for cancer treatment has also been referred from there to B.P. Koirla Memorial Cancer Hospital.

Chief of the Chinese team of specialists Dr. Shiyu Lin said that all kinds of treatment services were available at B. P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital which can be compared to any modern cancer hospital in China.