Protesters in March 28 Rally Still Bear Medical Expenses

Kathmandu, April 10 -- The announcement was made early.

On April 1, at a press briefing, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, acting as the government’s official spokesman, declared that the administration would offer complimentary healthcare services to individuals wounded during the intense anti-protest rally supporting monarchy that took place in Tinkune, Kathmandu, on March 28. This resolution was reached during an urgent cabinet session convened on the very day of the demonstration.

When The Post visited KMC, Sinamangal, on April 2, where eight protesters who had been injured were receiving medical care, many questioned whether the government would bear the entire expense of their treatments.

A week later, when the Post again reached out to these victims, they revealed that the government had made only an announcement and had not followed through. They said they were still paying for treatment, especially for medicines, out of their own pockets.

One of the wounded from the demonstration on March 28, Ram Chandra Budhathoki, is receiving medical care in Bed No. 378 at the Orthopedic Ward of KMC Hospital. Originally hailing from Dolakha, he made his living as a driver to support his household and currently lives in Koteshwor, Kathmandu.

Even though the government declared that treatments would be provided at no cost, Budhathoki mentioned that he has been covering the expenses for all his medicines himself ever since he was admitted to the hospital following getting shot in the hand by law enforcement officers.

He stated, 'I didn’t have to pay for entry or the procedure, but my relatives have covered the expenses for all essential medications.' He added, ‘Although we were assured that the government would bear the entire treatment cost, this promise remains unfulfilled.’

He mentions that his family has incurred costs of more than Rs65,000 just for medications, with overall expenditures surpassing Rs100,000.

Budhathoki is not alone in covering the expenses. Other individuals who were affected by the riots on March 28 also reported comparable situations, mentioning that their families continue to shoulder the costs of medical care even after the government stated otherwise.

Dilli Prasad Luitel, another survivor like Budhathoki, voiced similar sentiments. Living permanently in Bhojpur, Luitel is currently undergoing treatment at the National Trauma Centre in Mahankal, Kathmandu, after sustaining an abdominal injury from police gunfire.

Luitel mentioned, 'My family has already spent more than Rs100,000.' He added that while the hospital manages the treatment, we have to purchase all the medications ourselves.

Following growing grievances that the wounded were not getting complimentary care, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, on Wednesday, restated the administration's pledge to bear all healthcare costs for them.

During his visit to the Civil Service Hospital in New Baneshwar to see the wounded, Lekhak stated, "We will enforce the policy of providing complimentary care for those who were hurt."

Stating that he had come to the hospital specifically to check whether the injured were receiving free treatment, Minister Lekhak added, "The hospital will forward the bills to the Ministry of Health, and the government will reumburse payments."

He advised all wounded individuals and their families to ensure that the payments made for treatments are properly checked with the hospital. He emphasized again that the government stands ready to reimburse the expenses related to the medical care of those affected by protests.

On March 28, during the Cabinet meeting, instructions were issued to the Ministry of Health and Population to provide free medical care for the injured individuals. Nonetheless, numerous victims seem uninformed about these directives, with some who have heard about them still uncertain regarding the specific processes involved.

The Ministry of Health, however, maintains that the process to provide free treatment has already begun.

Official letters have been dispatched and telephone calls were made to the concerned hospitals," stated Prakash Budhathoki, who serves as the ministry’s spokesperson. "The onus is now on the hospitals to manage coordination from their end. Should a patient have already been released, we commit to providing reimbursement upon submission of both their medical bills and a police report.

Budhathoki states that when patients provide comprehensive incident reports—including specifics like dates, times, and locations—the hospital validates this information before offering complimentary care and medications sourced from their facility.

He further stated that if medications had to be purchased externally because they were not available at the hospital, patients should provide those receipts for reimbursement. The hospital would subsequently forward these documents to the ministry, which would either compensate the patients directly or facilitate the payment via the Cabinet.

The ministry reports that the injured continue receiving care at various facilities: the National Trauma Centre (with two cases), Civil Service Hospital (one case), B&B Hospital (one case), and Kathmandu Medical College (one case). Among the 129 individuals hurt during the demonstrations, 13 required urgent surgical intervention.

The demonstration held at Tinkune by pro-monarchy factions on March 28 became chaotic. During the unrest, video journalist Suresh Rajak and local Kirtipur resident Sabin Maharjan lost their lives, with numerous others suffering severe injuries. Demonstrators engaged in destructive acts such as setting fires, burning cars and homes, and causing damage to both personal properties and government structures.

In the meantime, the Kathmandu District Court has permitted the police to maintain custody of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Vice-President Rabindra Mishra and General Secretary Dhawal Shumsher Rana, as well as 20 additional individuals, for an extended period of 15 more days. Mishra, Rana, and several others, who were key participants in the protests, were taken into custody subsequent to the incidents of violence.

Currently, they are detained at the District Police Station in Bhadrakali, Kathmandu.

On Tuesday, Judge Bishnu Prasad Upadhyaya from the Kathmandu District Court approved extending their detention for an additional 15 days to allow for further investigations.

As stated by the Nepal Police, 173 people were detained during the demonstrations on March 28. Out of this group, 96 individuals have since been freed, whereas 20 others face charges related to sedition and organized crime.

Similarly, 57 people have faced charges for criminal rioting. Sedition allegations include Mishra, Rana, and 18 additional individuals.