KATHMANDU- The government has decided to bear the treatment cost of COVID-19 patients admitted in private hospitals.
The cabinet meeting held on Thursday evening took a decision of paying the medical bill of COVID-19 patients who undergo treatment in private hospitals.
According to a minister, the decision was aimed at encouraging private hospitals to provide treatment to COVID-19 patients amid a surge in the number of coronavirus cases in recent days. The outbreak of coronavirus has also overwhelmed COVID-19 designated hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley.
Struggling to arrange beds for COVID-19 patients, the government has already told all private hospitals to reserve 20 percent of their total beds to COVID-19 patients.
Similarly, the cabinet meeting has also decided to resume international chartered repatriation flights to bring back Nepali who are stuck abroad. However, those coming to Nepal from the international flight must remain in hotel quarantine in Kathmandu for seven days, according to the cabinet decision.
The minister told KathmanduPati that a person returning Nepal must have a hotel booking for the quarantine before boarding the flight bound to Kathmandu.
Other decisions of the cabinet meeting include increasing quarantine in local levels and allowing trucks and vehicles carrying raw materials for industries to move.
