COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

Health Services
Financing the Health Care SystemFinancing the Health Care System
13.48 The Royal Government may not be able to sustain the provision of free curative services as widely as it
would wish to for all sections of the population. As there will be major recurrent cost implications of in the
expansion of curative services and health infrastructure, the Royal Government will have to give careful
consideration to major investments in new hospitals where the recurrent costs will be particularly high and the need
for skilled manpower greater than at the primary health level.
13.49 Given the limitation of recurrent expenditure, the Royal Government will encourage the private sector to
develop curative services. The private sector will be encouraged to set up private clinics especially in the more
affluent areas. The Government will also investigate various approaches to cost minimization and cost recovery in
the health sector to be used for further improvements in the quality of health care. The Department will experiment
with modest user charges for the more expensive hospital based services for the high income groups in the urban
areas. Within the 7FYP period, however, general users charges are not contemplated in hospitals. However, the
possibility of contracting out ancillary services in the hospitals such as laundry, catering, etc. will be explored.
Manpower and Financial Requirements for the 7FYPManpower and Financial
Requirements for the 7FYP
13.50 The projected needs of manpower are shown in Table 13.5. These estimates take into account the additional
health personnel necessary for the expansion of health infrastructure.
Table 13.6 Shortfall in Department of Health Services Manpower
(1991 and 1997 Requirements)
12
Sl. No Categories Actual 1991 Projected 1997 For Expatriate
Replacement
1. Specialist doctors 27 65 17
2. Generalist doctors 17 40 31
3. Nurses# 43 96 30
4. Assistant Nurses 6 48 16
5. ANMs 34 110 nil
6. Health Assistants 23 78 nil
7. Basic Health Workers 36 106 nil
8. Lab. Technicians Surplus 18 14
9. Pharmacy Technicians 32 45 nil
Total 218 606 108