May 21: The Out Patient Department (OPD) services of government-run hospitals will now be available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.    
According to the government’s policies and programs for the Fiscal Year 2023/24 presented by President Ram Chandra Paudel in Parliament on Friday, a health center with basic health check-up and treatment facilities will be established in every ward.    
The policies and programs have a provision for developing all federal hospitals as teaching hospitals.

"A policy will be taken to gradually expand government hospitals into all seven provinces by developing them as well-equipped hospitals with specialized medical services," reads the statement.    
Air ambulance services will be operated in remote areas to prevent the death of people due to lack of timely treatment.    
Provision has also been made to give doctors working in basic hospitals the opportunity to pursue higher medical education.    
The policies and programmes state that at least one provincial level hospital shall be developed as a super specialty hospital that can diagnose heart and cancer diseases. Campaigns against infectious diseases and special programs for the treatment of non-communicable diseases will be conducted.    
Similarly, arrangements will be made for the diagnosis and treatment of autism while free early detection and treatment of cervical cancer and breast cancer in women will be gradually expanded throughout the country as a special program.    
The government has said that the Department of Drug Administration will be transformed into the Department of Food, Medicines and Health Technology.    
Similarly, the Singhdarbar Baidyakhana and Herbs Processing Center will be re-structured to make the services of Ayurvedic hospitals effective. -- RSS