May 31: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC)’s mayor Balendra Shah has urged Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet to take action against 68 health facilities operating inside the metropolis for not ensuring facilities meant for the target groups.    
The mayor is learnt to have met with Minister Basnet recently, drawing the government's attention to the issue and urging him to address it promptly.    
"The Health Institution Operation Standard, 2077 BS requires hospitals to allocate 10 percent of the total beds for free treatment to the poor and other target groups, and the Kathmandu metropolis on May 20 issued a notice reminding them of this mandatory provision," the mayor wrote on a social site on Wednesday.    
He said the local government had already apprised the minister of the 'violation' of the Standard by 68 hospitals and urged to regulate them and take action.    
The mayor warned that the local government will shut down the administration of such health institutions if the government does not take any against them within the next seven days.

He added the Constitution and the existing laws make it mandatory for the State to ensure the citizens' fundamental rights relating to health and it is the responsibility of the three-tier governments to implement such rights.    
He said that the attention of Ministry of Health and Population has been drawn towards the need of making healthcare facilities accessible for all and ensuring facilities meant for target groups mandated by the law and to increase people's access to health services. -- RSS