Feb 22, Kathmandu - The Nepali government had announced provisions for treatment and other facilities for those injured during the Gen-Z demonstrations held on Bhadra 23 and 24. Since the announcement, the list of registered injured individuals has continued to grow, with registrations ongoing until the end of Magh.

Recently, the Ministry of Health and Population reported that hundreds of people are arriving with incomplete evidence, seeking to be registered as injured through recommendations. To be eligible for treatment, individuals must present a certificate issued by hospitals confirming treatment on the specific dates of Bhadra 23 and 24. However, the ministry has recently identified many applicants as fake injured persons due to lack of proper documentation.

The details of these applicants had been submitted to the Home Ministry by Poush 10 (mid-December), but additional recommendations from various agencies continue to arrive, pressuring the Ganjee Help Desk. Ministry spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki stated that many organizations have been sending recommendations and exerting pressure for inclusion in the injured list, especially outside the Kathmandu Valley.

Despite submitting the injury list by Poush 10, the Ministry has received numerous new recommendations from different entities, including district administrations, NGOs, and other bodies. So far, 150 individuals from Poush and 60 from Magh have been added. Many of these applicants have been seeking free treatment, often accompanied by threats from certain groups advocating for inclusion.

Dr. Budhathoki explained that many are using recommendations to demand lifelong treatment, which poses a challenge for the government to meet due to resource constraints. The current procedures require hospitals to verify genuine injuries, submit bills to the Ministry, and then provide treatment accordingly. However, the recent demand for lifelong treatment for all injured—including minor injuries—is deemed unsustainable.

The Ministry is now considering issuing final lists that include only those with severe or very severe injuries eligible for lifelong benefits, in consultation with the Home Ministry. The officials emphasized that not all those claiming injury—particularly minor or fake cases—can be accommodated under the scheme.

The government’s guidelines specify that lifelong benefits and treatment will be limited to critically injured individuals. The Ministry aims to prevent fake injuries from receiving benefits, which would otherwise deprive genuine victims of assistance. To this end, a final classification and cut-off date are being prepared.

To date, approximately 2,599 injured persons have been registered in the official list maintained by the Ministry.