Public hospital OPDs stay shut on Sundays despite ministry order
Summary
Public hospitals in Kathmandu remain closed on Sundays despite a ministry directive to operate, causing patients to face extended wait times and increased costs. The closure worsens healthcare access amid a government-imposed two-day weekly office shutdown to address a fuel crisis.
Key Points
- Ministry of Health directed public hospitals to provide outpatient services on Sundays due to the two-day weekend policy.
- Major hospitals like Bir Hospital and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital do not operate outpatient clinics on Sundays, defying the ministry's order.
- Patients experience prolonged waiting times and increased cost burdens due to hospital closures and limited services.
- Delayed surgeries and diagnostic tests are causing serious access issues for patients from remote areas and low-income backgrounds.
