KATHMANDU: Doctors at the National Trauma Center in Kathmandu have been found to be working in connivance with medical suppliers in extorting high fees from orthopedics patients.
The center premise does not have pharmacies that sell orthopedic supplies. Private orthopedic suppliers have unchecked entry inside the center who brokers a deal with the needy patients into buying their supplies at a high rate. Doctors facilitate these suppliers by providing the details of the patients and who in turn are rewarded with sales commissions.
The center prepares the list of all patients receiving treatment at the center on a daily basis. Doctors pass the list to the representatives of orthopedic supplier companies, according to a staff at the center.
The government claims it provides treatment free of cost. However, the patients and their relatives are forced to negotiate with representatives of private medical suppliers as part of their treatment in buying orthopedic implants. Doctors as well as its staff at the center participate in the racket.
Gopal Ramtel from Dhading district, who got admitted at the center for leg injuries, complained that he had to negotiate with a representative of an orthopedic company for an iron rod to be implanted in his leg.
“The representative had demanded Rs. 30,000 for the rod. When I said that I did not have that much money he offered the rod at Rs. 25,000,” he said.
Neither the trauma victims nor their relatives have any idea of the exact price of the implants to be bought. They are forced to settle the deal decided by the representatives of orthodox suppliers.
On receiving the call, the representatives visit the center, meet the concerned patients and negotiate on the product, as informed by the doctor.
The center prepares the list of all patients receiving treatment at the center on a daily basis. Doctors pass the list to the representatives of orthopedic supplier companies, according to a staff at the center.
“At the order of senior doctors in every department, resident doctors at the center phone the representatives of orthopedics implant suppliers and avail them with the details of the patients,” said a doctor at the center.
On receiving the call, the representatives visit the center, meet the concerned patients and negotiate on the product, as informed by the doctor.
“As soon as a patient is admitted to the center, doctors present us with the list of materials required. We pay a certain amount to the doctors for the service,” said a representative Khabarhub met inside the center.
Dr. Binod Sherchan, acting director at the center admits that the representatives of orthopedic supplying companies have free access to the center. “Pharmacies in the center premise do not sell orthopedic implant materials. So, the representatives of private companies are allowed inside the center,” he clarified.
KATHMANDU: The National Planning Commission (NPC) has prepared a draft to adopt a strategy to ensure basic, specialized and quality health services to all the citizens, including preventive and curative services. NCP made the draft of the 15th plan public with a vision of producing healthy, productive, responsible and happy citizens.
NCP plan for the financial year 2019/2020 to 2020/2021, has taken up the strategy to advance the ayurvedic, homeopathy and other medical system while further expanding and improving mother-child, children and adolescents-friendly and reproductive health and family planning services.
Likewise, a sustainable health finance system is aid to be developed by increasing investment in the health sector while developing skills health workers at the federal, state and local level hospitals and health centers, on the basis of population distribution, geographical situation and needs. Presently, around five percent of the total budget of the government is allocated for the health service. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests allocation of at least 10 percent of the budget.
The 15th plan has also given priority to collaboration with the private and non-government sector, while ensuring the leading role of the government in the health sector. An integrated measure for preparedness and response would be adopted for public health disaster management.
Furthermore, the scope of Nepal Health Research Council would be amended to suit the changing times, while expanding its reach to the State level, integrating the health information system, increasing use of data at the policy making level, minimizing health risks from migration and including health in all policy through multi-sectoral coordination.
KATHMANDU: The Government Doctors’ Association of Nepal (GODAN) has stepped back from its all protest programs. The GODAN was agitating over some points in the employees’ adjustment bill. It demanded some correction in the document.
After receiving an assurance from the government to address its demands, the GODAN has stopped all of its protest programs. “We were assured by the Ministry of Health and Population that later would take initiation to address our concern,” GODAN said in a press statement today.
GODAN delegation on Saturday had sat for talks with the Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli and former Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal regarding the issue, GODAN Chairman, Dr Dipendra Pandey said.
It demands include guarantee of government doctors under the federal government and career enhancement opportunities for those doctors deployed at the local and province levels.
CHITWAN: Upendra Yadav, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population has appealed people for the participation in the posthumous organs donation.
Inaugurating a social campaign of donation of organs (posthumously) launched by the Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal here today, he said that the campaign would save the lives of many if supported by all. Describing the campaign as a noble cause, he called on one and all to join it.
In the meanwhile, he also urged the domestic pharmaceutical industry to ensure quality in the manufacturing of drugs. The minister also revealed that the government is going to bring out the policy allowing the imports of only those drugs that are not manufactured at home.
Umesh Lal Shrestha of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) promised support to promote the campaign nationwide. He called on doctors to give first priority to domestic drugs. Shrestha stressed that Nepali need to develop a culture of seeking treatment within the country.
SURKHET: A total of l 139,520 people in Jajorkot, Surkhet, Rukum and Kalikot districts in Karnali province now have access to health insurance facility, according to Health Insurance Board. These number of people joined the government’s health insurance program in the past 19 months.
As per their insurance claim, Rs. 44 million has already been paid. The Board had also collected Rs. 47 million as contributions for the insurance scheme from all the service recipients.
Meanwhile, the board is planning to extend the scheme to Humla, Dolpa, Mugu and Dailekh in the current fiscal year.
KATHMANDU: Smuggling of invaluable medicinal herbs continues unabated in Nepal.
Authorities have claimed that high demand for the rare medicinal herbs in the markets of India, China, and other countries has tempted smugglers towards this lucrative business.
Around 7 hundred species of medicinal herbs are available in Nepal, according to a study conducted by the Department of Forests.
These rare species of herbs are going to be extinct if not protected by the government. The unbridled smuggling has posed a serious threat to the herbs.
Ayurvedic pharmaceutical industries, including the government-owned Singha Durbar Vaidyakhana, have complained that they are facing a shortage of medicinal herbs in recent times.
Herbs worth Rs millions smuggled
The absence of effective monitoring has encouraged smugglers to smuggle these herbs.
On February 8, police arrested a person Sher Singh Dhami, 48, with 715 kilograms of Setak Chini, locally known as Khiraula, concealed in a house at Chainpur of Bajhang district. Dhami, who originally hails from Apihimal Rural Municipality, Dharchula, landed in police net while he was preparing to smuggle the herbs to India.
On October 30, a squad of Armed Police Force (APF), Kalabanjar seized 75 kilograms of spikenard (Jatamasi) from Duduwa Rural Municipality of Banke.
Similarly, on September 22, police rounded up Mane Rokaya with 1,012 kilograms of Setak Chini in Budhinanda Municipality of Bajura.
Rokaya had collected Setak Chini from a nearby jungle which is priced at Rs 1,600,000 per kilogram in the local market. He was held while he was preparing to smuggle it to India in cahoots.
Influential mafias, according to police, have a hand in smuggling. They, residing in India, smuggle Nepal’s herbs to various countries via India.
These incidents are only the tip of the iceberg. The statistics maintained by the Nepal Police has shown that herbs worth millions of rupees are seized annually.
Police seized herbs worth Rs 16.6 million from Karnali Province in the Fiscal Year 2017/18 alone. Likewise, various types of herbs were seized from Kalikot, Mugu, Rolpa, and Rukum while they were being smuggled to India.
SSP Uttam Raj Subedi, the spokesperson of Nepal Police, admits the smuggling of herbs to India through porous borders.
“Priceless herbs available in Nepal are mostly smuggled to India. Only small portions of the herbs are illegally sold in the third country,” said SSP Subedi.
Influential mafias, according to police, have a hand in smuggling. They, residing in India, smuggle Nepal’s herbs to various countries via India.
Herbs are seized when setting fails
Herbs are collected from Nepal’s hilly districts, including Kalikot, Mugu, Humla, Jumla, Dolpa, Jajarkot, Darchula, and Bhajhang. Locals collect herbs in cahoots with the forest officials, local representatives and police despite government’s ban on the collection of such herbs.
“Herbs are smuggled in cahoots with locals, local representatives and police,” an official at the Ministry of Forests and Environment told Khabarhub on the condition of anonymity.
The herbs are seized when a disgruntled police official informs the higher authority about it after he is deprived of his pie.
According to herbs trader, the herbs are seized when setting among the local representatives, forest officials and police fails.
Nepali pharmaceutical deprived of herbs
With the Nepal government’s ban on the collection of some certain herbs, Nepal pharmaceutical companies are facing the shortage of herbs, entrepreneurs said.
Government-owned Sindha Durbar Vaidyakhana Development Committee had called for a quotation seeking 91 items of herbs in the fiscal year 2016/17. However, only 40 items of herbs were made available.
A quotation seeking 300 kilograms of Hadchur had been announced in the fiscal year 2017/18.
Vaidyakhana has not been able to meet the demands of Ayurvedic medicines due to the shortage of herbs, said Hari Prasad Yadav, acting chief of Vaidyakhana Development Committee.
No conservation despite the ban
The government has not taken any initiation to protect invaluable herbs despite a ban imposed on their collection.
These rare species of herbs are going to be extinct if not protected by the government. The unbridled smuggling has posed a serious threat to the herbs.
Besides, fire, deforestation are the other causes leading to the disappearance of such priceless herbs.
“The government has to either bring concrete plans to protect these herbs or lift the ban on their collection,” said a trader.
KATHMANDU: A proposal of public importance related to Health Insurance has been tabled in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives.
Khagaraj Adhikari put forth the proposal which was seconded by Anjana Bisankhe and Man Kumari GC. Tabling the proposal, Adhikari demanded to implement health insurance program in all seven provinces in order to address the problems in health sector and to implement the rights mentioned in the constitution.
He said that the health insurance program was implemented during his appointment as the Health Minister. Similarly, Bisankhe and GC demanded for effective implementation of health insurance program for a well functioning federal system.
HoR Secretary, Gopalnath Yogi tabled the bill related to State Public Service Commission (Basis and Criteria Determination) – 2075.
DHARAN: The 7th Dharan Run, which is being organized every year since the last seven years, is going to be held on March 9, 2019 in Dharan. The marathon to begin from the Yalamber Community Park will cover a distance of 10 kilometers passing through Tinkune and end in Bhanu Chowk.
The marathon to be organized by Newa Charity Dharan and managed by Key Entertainment (P) Ltd. is expected to be participated by more than 5,000 enthusiasts this year, according to Santosh Rai, the organizer.
The amount collected from the event will be used for social welfare, Rai said.
Dharan Run aims to promoting a healthy lifestyle among the youths as well as to raise funds for charity. “This is a means to motivate the youth and the younger children to live a healthy life,” Rai added.
The event is being sponsored by Nepal’s one of the largest steel companies, Aarati Strips Pvt. Ltd. Other sponsors of the event include Prabhu Bank, Yeti Flooring, Nepal Telecom, among others.
Age is no bar to participate in the event. The concept, in fact, was inspired by runs that Santosh Rai used to participate when he was in London. Rai’s initiatives has inspired a lot of youths in Dharan.
RUKUM: Over three dozen students from Janagagrit Basic School of Pritha Uttarnagan rural municipality-6, here have fallen sick. According to the principal, Chet Kumar Sen, the students felt headache, dizziness and nausea all of sudden during morning assembly. While some students had faced such problems on Thursday, total 37 students had the problems today, he added.
The school located in the remote part of the district has no health facility in the distance nearby. There are total 279 students at the school. A team of health worker from Hukam has left for the school for the treatment, said Tope Sen Thakuri, Chairman of Ward No 6 at Pritha Uttarnagan rural municipality.
KATHMANDU: Influenza has claimed the lives of eight Kathmanduites in the last 45 days and health officials say the infection in on the rise.
Data collected by Khabarhub on Wednesday has revealed that as many as eight confirmed patients of seasonal flu have been reported.
Director General at the Directorate at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, informed that influenza has claimed the lives of eight people in the last one and a half months.
Doctor Sher Bahadur Pun at the Teku-based Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Kathmandu informed that a considerable number of patients, mostly fearing of swine flu, visit the hospital every day.
According to him, the flu is a contagious respiratory illness spread mainly by influenza viruses that infect the throat, nose, throat, and sometimes even the lungs.
Flu is different from a cold. People who have flu feel some or all of the symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and even diarrhea or vomiting.
“The initial impression that the patients visiting him suspect of being infected with swine flu,” Dr. Pun told Khabarhub, which he said, is not true. According to him, the influenza season typically runs from October to May, peaking in February.
Hospital sources said as many as 1,334 flu suspects visited the hospital in the last five consecutive weeks. Among them, 567 have been diagnosed with AH1 N1. Likewise, 23 have been diagnosed with flu H3 and 73 with influenza B.
Doctors said a significant number of patients visit the hospital each day for the treatment of such flu-like cases. According to Dr. Pun, most of the patients complain of symptoms of dry cough, high fever, weakness, sore throat, headache, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhea, which are mostly associated with the swine flu virus.
Doctors suggest that people having such symptoms should drink plenty of clean water and liquids.
Flu Symptoms
Flu is different from a cold. People who have flu feel some or all of the symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and even diarrhea or vomiting.
How Flu Spreads
Doctors say flu viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets made when people with flu sneeze, cough, or talk.
Preventive measures
Doctors suggest that people should follow preventive measures to avoid flu. Isolation from an infected person is required.