NMA submits health system improvement suggestions to Health Minister

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has submitted a set of recommendations to Health and Population Minister Dr. Sudha Sharma for the improvement of the country’s health system.

NMA chair Dr. Anil Bikram Karki and other officials met with Minister Sharma on Friday, offering their best wishes for her tenure and presenting their suggestions.

The recommendations focus on strengthening primary health structures, enhancing the national health insurance program, and improving coordination between federal, provincial, and local levels in terms of monitoring and accountability. The association also emphasized the importance of addressing key challenges in the healthcare system by involving doctors, healthcare workers, and the public.

Following the meeting, the NMA released a statement highlighting the lack of adequate doctors, medicines, testing facilities, and professional capacity at primary health centers. They also mentioned issues related to human resources and placement.

The NMA further emphasized the need for the immediate implementation of an equal pay for equal work policy for healthcare workers at all levels, along with improvements in the basic infrastructure, legal provisions, and the establishment of women’s health volunteer networks.