KATHMANDU: The government has prioritized increasing the production of doctors under the Economic Reform Action Plan 2025, aiming to strengthen the health sector.
The plan highlights challenges in managing the current number of doctors in Nepal and providing services that meet demand. The prolonged freeze on permanent positions has caused a significant loss of medical personnel, forcing many local doctors to work in private hospitals for low wages.
The government also plans to build one well-equipped hospital in each province outside Bagmati Province and promote natural and Ayurvedic medicine systems. Additionally, students studying medicine in government or private colleges will be legally required to serve domestically for five years after graduation.
To improve healthcare equipment procurement, a separate body with relevant experts will be established. The plan proposes setting a minimum income threshold below which individuals will be exempt from paying health insurance premiums but still required to pay social security taxes. Those above the threshold will pay both.
Furthermore, the plan calls for effective implementation of a mandatory referral system from local and provincial levels to federal hospitals, with timely updates to current procedures.
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