Krishna Bisunkhe of Godawari, Lalitpur, and Durga Bahadur Pariyar of Boudha, Kathmandu, became the first two persons to avail of the free hospital service introduced by the Ministry of Health for the disadvantaged people.

Under the programme that came into effect on Friday, all hospitals must reserve 10 percent of their beds for the poor, elderly, single women and persons with disabilities, and provide them treatment for free of cost.

According to Dr Bhupendra Basnet, the director of Bir Hospital, Bisunkhe, 45, and Pariyar, 60, were the first ones to benefit from the service.

Bisunkhe, who is physically handicapped, was admitted to Norvic International Hospital in Thapathali, Kathmandu, for treatment of liver ailments.

Pariyar was admitted to Nidan Hospital in Lalitpur for kidney dialysis.

Both patients had visited Bir Hospital first but, owing to the lack of beds there, were referred to the two private health facilities.

“The way the patients were welcomed by the private hospitals was encouraging,” Dr Basnet said. “This will help us redistribute the patient load while the needy ones get full medical attention,”

To become eligible for free hospital service, patients must obtain recommendation from their respective Village Development Committee, Municipality, District Development Committee, District Administration Office or District Public Health Office. For the patients in Kathmandu, they could get the recommendation from Bir Hospital as well as the Ministry of Health.

With the recommendation, the patients will be exempt from charges, including bed, doctor’s consultancy, laboratory tests,  diagnostic facilities and medical oxygen.