The government has waived health insurance co-payments and removed identification requirements for people seeking treatment in three districts devastated by the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods.

The Health Insurance Board issued the directive on Monday for Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, which the government has designated as disaster crisis zones for 90 days.

Under the emergency measures, insured patients in the three districts will not have to make the co-payments normally required for treatment. The government has also suspended existing financial ceilings and coverage limits under the national health insurance scheme for three months.

People who lost their health insurance cards in the floods can still receive treatment. Health facilities have been told to verify patients’ insurance details electronically through the board’s integrated insurance management information system instead of requiring the physical card.

The measures are intended to prevent the disaster from becoming an additional barrier to medical care as communities recover from widespread destruction.

The August 26 flash flood in the Bhotekoshi river in Rasuwa surged downstream into the Trishuli river, causing widespread destruction in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, including damage to homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

As of September 9, at least 1,367 people have been killed, and 5,132 remain unaccounted for.

The government subsequently declared the three districts disaster crisis zones for three months to speed up rescue, relief and medical assistance.

Dr Pawan Kumar Sah, senior medical superintendent and spokesperson for the Health Insurance Board, said health facilities in the affected districts had been instructed to implement the provisions immediately.