Report on ʺStudy on Free Health Care Implementation Programʺ (Interaction between Service Providers and Users with regard to Free Health Services at community Level)

Abstract

Introduction: The free health care policy of the Government of Nepal (GoN) targets the poor, marginalized and destitute, with the goal of increasing their access to a utilization of free health care services, with an emphasis on essential curative care. Adopted on December 15, 2006 (2063‐8‐29), the policy was introduced in two phases, to correct related deficiencies, problems andissues. In the first phase, free emergency, inpatient, and outpatient services were offered to the underserved, the elderly, people living with physical and psychological disabilities and to Femalecommunity Health Volunteers (FCHVs) at district hospitals and primary health care centers (PHCCs) with fewer than 25 beds that had existing hospital development committees. In the second phase, this policy was expanded to include free essential health care services at heath and sub‐ health posts in districts without hospital development committees.