KATHMANDU – Minister for Health and Population Birodh Khatiwada asserted that the federal government has accorded highest priority to the Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar, Morang.
Inspecting the Hospital here today, Minister Khatiwada said that the Hospital is a big centre for healthcare services in Province No 1 and pledged to provide with necessary support for it to render quality healthcare services to the patients.
The Minister said that the currently 350-bed Hospital will be upgraded to 500 beds and human resources will be recruited for the labour room, cancer treatment facility and lab in the Hospital. Talking to media persons briefly during the inspection, Minister Khatiwada shared that 50-bed emergency room will be brought into operation in the Hospital soon.
Stating that a new building was being built at a cost of Rs 50 million in the premises of the Hospital, the Minister assured that the government would meet the target of vaccinating all the target group against COVID-19 within April next year. On the occasion, he informed that an agreement was inked with the government of the USA and China to bring in 10 million and 6 million vaccines against COVID-19 respectively.
Preparation was afoot to administer vaccine to people from the 12-18 age group. “Once the World Health Organization would issue approval, vaccines would be administered to children from 2 to 12 years.” Similarly, Hospital superintendent Dr Chumanlal Das urged with the visiting Minister to arrange additional human resources in the Hospital that receives around 1,500 patients in a day on average.
