Mountains. Parbat — The only well-equipped state hospital in the district is reeling under crisis as it has not been paid for a long time.

The only provincial hospital in the district where health insurance provides treatment to patients has not received payment of more than three crores. Chief Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Dhundiraj Poudel, said that the hospital’s activities have been affected as they have not been able to pay more than Rs 30 million for health insurance and dialysis since last fiscal year.

The government has to pay the amount for the examination of the patients who have been insured by the hospital. However, he said that the amount of payment has increased as the government has not paid the amount on time.

Dr Poudel said that they have been facing problems in purchasing medicines and equipment, salary of employees, allowances and other regular works due to non-payment of health insurance amount. According to him, the demand for payment has not been heard despite repeated demands.

Patients with health insurance come to the hospital even when they have minor problems, they should be provided services, but due to the delay in payment by the ministry, they are facing problems in providing necessary medicines, aid materials and lab-related services. According to him, although the hospital management committee has been managed from the fund so far, now the crisis is brewing.

Dr Poudel said, “The process of purchasing medicines has been hampered as the government has not paid the insurance amount. Around 45 per cent of the health insurance subscribers in the district receive health services from the hospital. Chairman of the Hospital Management Committee, Yaya Bahadur Pariyar, said that although the government provides the rate fixed for all the hospitals across the country, it is difficult to get the payment every year.

According to him, although the amount was demanded at the Health Ministry on the basis of bill receipt received from the Health Insurance Board Hospital, the hospital is facing crisis due to lack of payment. The government provides insurance premium worth Rs 100,000 to a family of five if it pays Rs 3,500. In case of a family with more than five members, each member has to pay an additional Rs 700 and the family members will be entitled to Rs 20,000 per year.

A memorandum was submitted to Minister for Health and Population Dr Sudha Gautam, who visited the hospital a few days ago, demanding payment of the insurance amount. On the occasion, Minister Gautam said that hospitals across the country are facing problem for not being paid the insurance amount.