May 24, Kathmandu- Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel has said that preparations are underway to provide chemotherapy (chemo) services free of cost to cancer patients.

Minister Poudel made the announcement while inaugurating a massive health camp organized at Dhanpalthan Rural Municipality of Morang on Saturday.

Minister Poudel stressed that it is not possible to provide quality services to all citizens through government health institutions alone, emphasizing that the collaboration and support of the private sector and various organizations is essential for this.

"Only by ending the inequities prevalent in healthcare services and ensuring that the general public receives services in an accessible and simple manner can a true sense of democracy be realized," Minister Poudel said. "For this, additional investment and infrastructure expansion in the health sector are necessary."

Speaking about the difficulties seen in operating the Shailaja Acharya Heart Disease Center in Biratnagar, Minister Poudel clarified that there was a problem in operating the center at full capacity through the Shaheed Gangalal National Heart Center as the provincial government had handed over the center for only two years.

He put forward the option of either the provincial government taking over the responsibility of the center (with the federal government assisting) or handing it over completely to Gangalal.

Minister Poudel also said that it is necessary to expand the scope of health insurance and make arrangements to include all types of health treatment within it.