Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa has expressed a clear commitment to ensuring that the country’s health insurance program does not shut down, stating that it must be strengthened and taken forward as a “national pride project.” In a video message shared on social media, Thapa acknowledged that the program is currently in a disorganized state and said recent reports have created an impression that it may be discontinued, a situation he said must be corrected through reforms.
Thapa argued that healthcare should not be treated as charity, but as a matter of citizen security and a constitutional right. Referring to the health rights guaranteed by the Constitution, he said fulfilling this responsibility is the duty of the state, and the health insurance program is the most effective tool to meet that obligation.
Recalling the background of the program’s introduction, Thapa said that families often faced situations where they had to sell land and property to afford treatment, even after emerging from poverty. He stated that such realities were the reason he introduced the health insurance program during his tenure as Minister for Health, with the aim of protecting citizens from catastrophic health expenses.
According to Thapa, out-of-pocket health expenditure in Nepal has reached 57 percent, which is nearly three times higher than international standards. To address this, he said the government had envisioned bringing all citizens under mandatory health insurance coverage to reduce direct financial burden on households.
Thapa further outlined a strategy to impose earmarked taxes on harmful products such as alcohol and cigarettes, with the revenue generated to be spent on health insurance. He also said that fragmented social security programs would be brought under the insurance framework and that health systems across federal, provincial, and local governments would be integrated.
Emphasizing the need to address governance issues within the Insurance Board, Thapa stressed the development of a real-time digital system to prevent leakages and improve efficiency. He said that by streamlining claim processing and payment mechanisms, it would be possible to provide full health security to every Nepali within five years.
“Once a person is covered by health insurance, all treatment costs not included in the negative list can be covered by the insurance,” Thapa said, adding that this would end situations where people are denied treatment simply because they lack cash.
Looking ahead to the five-year term following the next election, Thapa emphasized the need to significantly expand insurance coverage and ensure a guarantee that no citizen will have to take loans or sell property to pay for medical treatment.
This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. Translated with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
