Minister of Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet has said that health sector's infrastructures that are associated with humanitarian needs would be constructed with due priority.
In a field visit of the proposed Bir Hospital construction site in Changunarayan of Bhaktapur district on Saturday, Minister Basnet directed the officials to immediately complete the preliminary tasks of delineation, fencing and fixing access route.
"Country's model hospital is being developed here. Coordination and cooperation of all stakeholders is expected to advance the hospital construction," Minister shared his expectation from the local community.
The government some seven years ago had decided to construct the hospital with maximum of 1,500 beds in the area spread over 570 ropani of land.
As per the government's request to the Chinese side, a feasibility study has been completed from the Chinese team some years ago.
The government is expected to make a request to the government of China for the development of the hospital prior to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's upcoming China visit.
"We expect completion of preliminary tasks on our part prior to the PM's China visit. This project should be advanced through diplomatic channel. Donor's assistance could shift to somewhere else if we failed to seize the opportunity," according to Minister Basnet.
On the occasion, Mayor of Changunarayan Municipality Jiban Khatri, province assembly member Suresh Shrestha, Vice-Chancellor of National Academy of Medical Sciences Prof Dr Bhupendra Kumar Basnet and other officials shared the progress made so far.
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