Citizen auditors (CPAs) from Freedom Forum (FF) successfully participated on audit of “Status of Implementation of Health Insurance Program” as part of citizen participation in performance audit for FY 2080/81. It was initiated after the agreement between Freedom Forum and Office of the Auditor General (OAG) in January this year. The audit was conducted in accordance with the work plan and questionnaire provided by the OAG. The questionnaire focused on the services provided by the concerned hospitals and primary health centers and service recipients' experience. It sought answers regarding the status of the services provided, difficulties encountered, and the facilities provided. Even the problems faced by the insurance service providing hospitals and primary health centers were incorporated by the study. It was conducted at 13 health centers and hospitals located in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.The major health facilities included in the audit survey are Bir Hospital, TU Teaching Hospital, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, National Trauma Center, Maternity Hospital, Patan Hospital and BP Eye Hospital. Likewise, municipal hospitals of Gokarneshwor, Madhyapur Thimi, Mulpani and Kritipur as well as public health centers of Badegaun and Lubhu of Lalitpur were included in the survey. A total of 145 feedback forms were collected and submitted along with the observation report to the OAG. Four auditors- 3 females and 1 male- participated in this study on behalf of Freedom Forum- Subash Dahal, Nanu Maiya Khadka, Aruna Adhikari, and Manju Dahal. Freedom Forum is continuously engaged and involved in performance audit as part of its advocacy for promoting Citizen’s Participation in Audit.
Freedom Forum is a prominent non-governmental organization in Nepal dedicated to institutionalizing democracy, protecting and promoting human rights, press freedom, freedom of expression, right to information, promoting audit accountability, open and accountable budget, public finance reforms, citizen engagement in public finance management and citizen participation in audit. Established in February 2005, the organization emerged in response to the political turmoil following Former King Gyanendra’s coup dated February 1, 2005, which imposed severe restrictions on media and democratic rights. A group of media professionals, legal experts, and academics founded Freedom Forum to safeguard Nepal’s hard-earned democratic freedoms during this repressive period.
