24 March, Kathmandu. Sub-section 1 of Section 25 of the Health Insurance Act 2074 has provided for automatic suspension if absent from the meeting three times in a row.
It is stated in the act, ‘If absent from the board meeting three times in a row without informing the board, the position of chairman, member and executive director will be considered vacant.’
Junu Shrestha, who was nominated as a member of the insurance board, did not attend the meeting 11 times. On 4 Baisakh 2081, the Insurance Board wrote a letter to the Ministry of Health for the necessary implementation. But suddenly Junu attended the meeting held on Monday.
Junu was appointed as a board member by the then Health Minister Mohan Bahadur Basnet.
The director of the then board, Dr. Dr. Raghuraj Kafle wrote a letter to the Ministry of Health.
It is said in the said letter, ‘From the 1st of January 2081, from the fourth board meeting of the current year 2081 and 082 to the eleventh board meeting, it seems that he has been absent continuously. The meeting and decision-making process of this board has been affected by the absence of board members.
After not being physically present, Junu was removed and made vacant as a board member. After his removal, one member position is now vacant. His name is not even on the insurance board’s website. But she said she attended the board meeting on Monday.
Junu was in yesterday’s meeting. He also appeared,’ a member of the board told Online Khabar.
According to a member of the board, Shrestha was continuously absent from the previous meetings, so the discussion about him was raised in the meeting. According to that member, Shrestha did not attend the meeting for three times and the chairman raised the question.
He was not formally dismissed at that time. Junu went to UK to study. After coming back some time ago, she asked the board members that she should be present.
Meanwhile, Junu met Health Minister Nisha Mehta to discuss her issue. He was not called in the previous two meetings. June said that there was a discussion with the minister,’ a member of the board told Online Khabar, ‘he was made to participate in the last meeting.’
Seven people including the executive director were present at Monday’s meeting.
Shrestha is the wife of Labor Minister Deepak Kumar Shah. It was published in the media that Health Minister Nisha Mehta appointed Junu Shrestha, wife of Labor Minister Deepkumar Sah, as a member of the Health Insurance Board. Junu has refuted the issue of being appointed on social media.
He explained that he was not appointed and did not even receive the letter. “I have nothing to do with the news about the health insurance board member and I have not understood any letter regarding the nomination,” Shrestha wrote on social media.
Junu posted her previous appointment letter on social media and wrote, ‘My appointment as a member of the Health Insurance Board was made in the year 2080. This appointment in the year 2080 is for four years ie till the year 2084. The current re-appointment issue is beyond my knowledge. Also, I have not received any official information about this. Therefore, the news about the current appointment is misleading and I regret it.
The meeting passed the annual budget
According to a member of the Health Insurance Board, the board’s meeting on Monday passed the annual budget for the next financial year 2082/083.
The insurance program started on March 10 will be completed. It was discussed to prepare for the anniversary program.
According to those members, the main agenda of the meeting was to pass the necessary budget for the annual program. “The budget has been passed because the book that passed the budget has to be published in the annual celebration program tomorrow,” said the member.
In the meeting, a preliminary discussion was also held on the amendment of the Health Insurance Act. The member said that some points of the Act need to be amended and it was agreed to make a final decision in the next meeting after further study.
According to those members, since a detailed study of the proposed amendments to the law is necessary, it has been decided to finalize it in the next meeting without making an immediate decision.
Junu participated as a member in yesterday’s meeting, she also showed up, said the member to Online News.