No financial burden
The Himalayan Times
1 February 2018
No
financial burden
There are a considerable number of
people in Nepal who are suffering from several kinds of non communicable
diseases such as cancer, spinal injury paralysis and kidney failure. Not all of
them are in a position to afford expensive treatment. The government has made some
provisions for concessional treatment. Lack of awareness, unhealthy life style,
deficiency in nutritious foods and consumption of contaminated foods are some
of the common reasons behind the growing number of patients suffering from
these diseases. The government and concerned authorities still need to be more proactive
in designing action-orientated programmes to reach out to all the people
suffering from these killer diseases.
The recent decision made by the Deuba
led government with regard to providing monthly living allowance of Rs. 5000/-
to each of the patients suffering from kidney failure, cancer and paralysis due
to spinal injury was praiseworthy. Likewise, the decision of lowering the age
for senior citizen’s allowance from 70 to 65 years was also commendable keeping
in view the demands of the senior citizens for the past several years. Some
senior citizen had even passed away during the course of protest. None of the
previous governments seemed to be serious and passionate enough to consider
their plights.
However, these decisions were widely
criticized for known or unknown reasons. Even, the UML Chairman K.P.Oli publicly
said that the recent decisions made by
the care taker government would be reviewed by the new government “New
government to review all decisions of caretaker government, says Oli” (THT,
January 26, Page 1). Billions of rupees are unwisely spent from the state
coffers for former VIPs as their perks and benefits. Would not it be rather wise
to welcome such pro-people decisions and look around for generating revenue, as
collected by this care taker government from tax that has been levied on sale
of tobacco products? “Livelihood allowance won’t add financial burden on
government: Health Minister (THT, January 30, Page 2).
Rai
Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj
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