Over 700 thousand citizens covered by health insurance in Sudurpaschim

Sudurpaschim / More than 732,000 citizens have been covered by the health insurance scheme in Sudurpaschim Province. According to the Health Insurance Board Office in the province, total 732,752 people were registered in the insurance facility by mid-August.Board's Sudurpaschim coordinator Janak Bahadur Saud informed that the data entered into the Insurance Management Information System, showed the highest number of citizens in the system was from Kailali.Similarly, there are 87,087 people from Kanchanpur, 67,308 from Achham, 52,211 from Bajhang, 45,454 from Bajura, 34,270 from Baitadi, 33,378 from Dadeldhura, 27,862 from Doti and 23,203 from Darchula district, according to him.The government had launched the health insurance programme in 2016 as a public welfare social security so that citizens' access to health service would be enhanced. It aimed at affordable and quality health services to the citizens, reducing financial burden to them.The establishment of the Health Insurance Board in line with the Health Insurance Act, 2074 and the Health Insurance Regulations, 2075 BS helped run the system systematically across the country.Coordinator Saud observed that the insurance facility was being expanded as a significant aspect of implementing constitutional rights as per Article 35 of the Constitution of Nepal. The constitution provision has mentioned every citizen's right to free basic health services from the State. "No one shall be deprived of emergency health services. Every person shall have the right to get information about his or her medical treatment. Every citizen