16 Chaitra, Kathmandu: The Health Insurance Board, government’s social protection programme, has been implemented in all 77 districts. The programme that was launched in 2072 BS has now reached across the country. The objective of the programme is to ensure people’s access to quality health care services will be launched in six districts on April and then in Kathmandu and Lalitpur, according to Board’s senior health administrator Dr Madhav Lamsal. The programme will kick-off in Taplejung, Dolakha, Bara, Sarlahi, Manan and Mustang on April 7 and thereafter in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Under the scheme, a family having up to five members has to pay Rs 3,500 to get medical treatment including medicines worth Rs 100,000 in total. The service is available in those health facilities fixed by the government. A family having more than five members has to add Rs 700 per member to be entitled the insurance coverage from Rs 20,000 to Rs 200 thousands. The government has listed 375 health facilities: government and the private across the country to render the services under the programmes. Still many people are outside the coverage of health insurance as they are not well-informed of this scheme. He said programmes to extend coverage of the health insurance would be brought to include all citizens. Although the health insurance scheme is operated in 69 districts at present and only three million 710 thousand 962 individuals of 742 thousand 192 households of these districts have the policy. Among these people, only one million 430 thousand people have availed the insurance facilities. Seventy per cent of those who have the health insurance policy have renewed their policy this fiscal year.
