22 Chait, Kathmandu. Singha Durbar is the highest administrative center of the country. The Ministry of Health and Population, which is within this administrative center where major policy decisions of the state are made, is forced to suffer from shortages and disorder.

After entering the Ministry premises, a temporary structure i.e. tin room ‘dibba’ is seen, where the Minister of Health, Secretary and some divisions are located. Employees are forced to sit and work in the same structure.

As soon as the rains start, the condition of these structures becomes more miserable. After it rains, the entire premises gets muddy. It is difficult to walk around the office premises. Shoes get dirty as employees carry files from one room to another.

‘When it rains, the premises become completely muddy. “It is difficult to get from one branch to another with documents,” says an employee of the ministry.

Three-four employees at the same table

Another problem is seen when entering the office, the narrow working area. Due to limited room and less tables, more than three employees have to sit at one table.

Some are working through computers, some are arranging files, and some are coordinating on the phone. Employees feel uncomfortable when they have to do many jobs simultaneously in a small space.

Some employees do not have chairs to sit on. When files, computers and employees have to be arranged in a limited space, the room looks chaotic.

The employees say that the speed of work is also affected because the workplace is not organized. According to them, there is a lack of adequate space for file management, arrangements for keeping confidential documents and conducting coordination meetings.

‘There is no working environment. Many people should sit at the same table. Sometimes there is not even a place to keep the files,’ says an employee, ‘There is no place to let the employees and customers who come from outside to sit.’

Hundreds of customers reach the ministry daily. People from different areas go to the ministry for health permits, policies, documents and administrative work. But there is no place for them to live. There is a lack of space for customers to wait in the office premises. Sometimes they are forced to spend time standing while waiting for hours.

The ministry says – we are looking for a place

The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers’ office, ministries to the Planning Commission were all inside the Singh Darbar, while the Ministry of Health was outside.

Until the fire of 25 June 2030, the Ministry of Health was also inside the Singha Durbar. The sudden fire destroyed everything except the western part of the Singha Durbar. Most of the bodies moved out of Singha Durbar. The Ministry of Health also moved to the old building of the National Health, Education, Information and Communication Center in Teku.

After Padmasundar Lavati became the Health Minister, a wider office was sought. In the year 2039, the Ministry of Health moved to the Office of Family Planning and Matri Shishu Kalyan Yojana located right in front of the Supreme Court at Ramshahpath.

This building, designed by famous French architect Louis Isadore Kahn, was inaugurated by King Birendra on the occasion of his 31st birthday on 13 January 2032. The Ministry of Health moved to this building at the insistence of the then Minister Lavati. Along with rebuilding the Singha Durbar damaged by fire, new buildings were being constructed and the ministries kept returning to the Singha Durbar.

However, the Ministry of Health remained outside. When the Ministry of Health was outside, the security system would be weakened and the staff would be harassed when the crowd increased unnecessarily. Work was affected as people without work were coming unnecessarily. The employees of the Ministry tried many times to move the Ministry of Health into Singh Darbar in order to make it easier to coordinate with other ministries. But it was not successful.

During the Genji movement on August 24, the Ministry of Health building at Ramshahpath was completely set on fire. The work of the ministry started there in coordination with the Nepal Health Research Council, which is behind the ministry. After that, they started looking for a new place for the Ministry of Health inside the Singha Darbar.

An empty land and building of Narsingh Dal Gana of the Nepali Army was found in the south-west area of ​​Singha Darbar. And, from last November, the Ministry of Health entered Singha Dabar.

However, even after 6 months of entering the Singha Durbar, the Ministry of Health has not been able to get the building.

Information Officer of the Ministry Dr. According to Bhakta Bahadur KC, there is no situation where the ministry has completely moved inside Singha Durbar. Some departments are still working in Nepal Health Research Council at the back of the burnt old building. Quality measurement and regulation division, accounting branch and HOC work is done from Ramshahpath.

Health Minister, Secretary, Planning Division, Coordination Division and Administration Division are working in the temporary structure inside the Singha Darbar. Dr. is finding it very difficult to work due to lack of sufficient space. Casey says.

‘Due to lack of space, two or three employees have to work at the same table. As the rain has not started now, Zenten is going on,’ said Dr. KC says, ‘During the rainy season, it is very difficult to operate the service in this condition.’

The temporary building was constructed in a prefab structure with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO). The remaining part has been renovated and put into operation by the ministry itself.

There is no place to sit when discussions have to be held between the departments. Since the ministry does not have a separate meeting room, if necessary, the tables of the departments should be moved and meetings should be held temporarily.

“When a meeting has to be held, the tables should be moved to one place and the meeting should be conducted by making a temporary setup,” Dr. KC says, ‘Today’s minister was welcomed and introduced in the hall of the division.

Dr. Dr. said that it is difficult to provide easy service to the customers with the current system. Casey accepts. As the Ministry of Health is a ministry that has direct contact with the public, many clients come daily. But he said that the management has become a challenge as a pass has to be arranged to enter the Singha Durbar.

Informing that the government is looking for an alternative building, he said that if a suitable building is available, the ministry will be shifted there.

‘The prime minister’s office has been continuously informed about this. Searching for a suitable building is in progress, said Dr. Casey said.

According to the officials of the ministry, it is not possible to operate the ministry from the current temporary structure in the long term, so it is necessary to shift the ministry to a suitable government building soon.

It is ironic that the Ministry, which is responsible for making the country’s health policy, hospital management and running health programs, itself remains in a temporary structure.

A symbol of world-class architecture destroyed in a fire

This building of the Ministry of Health, which was burned by the fire caused by Genji protestors, was built 50 years ago in the style of the famous architect Louis Kahn in the model design without pillars.

It showed a unique combination of architecture and engineering in the middle of the capital. It introduced Nepal’s engineering history and architectural potential at the international level. A building that European students would come to see for study, where a single hall could be divided into rooms as needed.

The Ministry of Health building was once a study model for architectural engineering students. Students from Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway used to come to see.

Apart from Nepal, this kind of architect was only in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But Nepal’s design was considered unique. This is the reason why this building was called ‘Unique’.

USAID assisted the Nepal government in constructing the building of the family planning and mother and child welfare center at that time. During the completion of the agreement, USAID requested professional assistance from Louis Kahn and Kahn designed it.

The building was recognized as an internationally renowned building in Nepal from the point of view of modern architecture.