Ministry Directs Hospitals to Provide OPD Services on Sundays

Kathmandu: The Ministry of Health and Population has directed relevant agencies to operate health services continuously and effectively even during public holidays. Following the Cabinet's decision published in the Gazette on April 5, 2025, regarding the implementation of two consecutive public holidays on Saturday and Sunday, the Ministry requested that necessary arrangements be made to ensure health services remain uninterrupted.

In a press release issued by the Ministry's Associate Spokesperson, Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, it is mentioned that hospitals must arrange to operate OPD services even on Sundays based on their workload and available human resources.

Similarly, for staff management, arrangements should be made to provide two days of leave per week—one day in addition to Saturday—or provide compensatory leave in cases where a holiday cannot be granted.

Furthermore, the Ministry stated that health ministries in all seven provinces have been requested to implement these same arrangements in provincial hospitals.

"Hospitals shall arrange to provide OPD services on Sundays by assessing their workload and human resources. While implementing this, arrangements should be made to provide employees with two days of leave per week, including Saturday and one other day, and to provide compensatory leave if a holiday cannot be given. 

The ministries overseeing health in all seven provinces have been requested to make similar arrangements for provincial hospitals as per point number one," the statement reads.