Health Minister prepares to update health operation guidelines

KATHMANDU: Health and Population Minister Pradeep Paudel has initiated preparations to revise the standards for operating health institutions.

The existing Health Operation Standards 2077 and the Health Institution Establishment, Operation, and Upgradation Directive 2070 are set to be updated, and for this purpose, the minister has formed a committee.

The committee, chaired by Dr. Saroj Sharma, Chief of the Ministry’s Quality Measurement and Regulation Division, includes senior officials such as Deputy Secretary Dr. Anup Bastola, Chief Nursing Administrator of Bir Hospital Roshni Laxmi Tuitui, Senior Public Health Officer Dr. Sameer Kumar Adhikari from the Health Coordination Division, and Legal Deputy Secretary Gopi Krishna Regmi, among others.

The current standards do not cover certain health institutions like eye hospitals, ENT (ear, nose, and throat) hospitals, and nuclear medicine centers, so the ministry plans to incorporate these into the revised standards.
Minister Paudel has also taken various decisions aimed at improving hospital services.

According to spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, the ministry is advancing preparations to revise the standards comprehensively, encompassing all aspects necessary to improve the service quality and effectiveness of health institutions.