The Parliament of Nepal saw a substantial increase in the share of budget expenditure on health in FY 2021, significant compared to other South Asian countries. The country saw increased spending in health infrastructure to primarily combat the onslaught of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19).
Yuba Raj Khatiwada, the Finance Minister informed the Parliament that $748.57 million of the budget for the new fiscal year was set aside for the healthcare system. This is an increase of over 31% from last year. Of this, nearly $50 million has been allocated for Pandemic specific facilities
This should have a positive impact on the public health infrastructure for the country in the long run, but the immediate results in terms of containment of the Pandemic remain to be ascertained.
“The main objective of the budget is to protect people from all health-related risks, including the coronavirus,” Khatiwada told lawmakers in parliament.
Read the original Reuters article here
Image credits: Mathieu Turle/Unsplash
Do you have something to say about health financing and COVID-19 in Nepal? Please let us know in the comments section below.
