KATHMANDU:  The government has scrapped the contract of offering free treatment of COVID-19 patients in both the private and public hospital and has decided to pay the COVID-19 treatment charge only of the patients in public hospitals effective from Monday onwards.

Issuing a notice on Monday, Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, the Chief of Health Emergency Operation Center  informed all hospitals and other stakeholders that, the patients admitted to private hospitals after Monday would not get the free treatment facility to be provided by the government if they are admitted in private hospital.

However, the patients who have been admitted in the hospital prior to June 28 will get their 10 days hospital stay cost paid by the government.

Earlier, the government had decided to pay for the 10 days treatment charge at both private and public hospital or health facilities.