Dhangadi, November 25

Over two months after the Ministry of Health wrote to all state-owned health facilities directing them to keep their outpatient departments open from 10:00am to 5:00pm, Seti Zonal Hospital in Dhangadi, is still defying the directive.

An inspection team deployed from the ministry found that the hospital’s OPD remains open only from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

As the health facility has not been following the directive, the District Administration Office, Kailali has warned of shutting down the hospital.

Doctors at the hospital reportedly leave the health facility after 2:00pm and go to private clinics. Medical Superintendent of the health facility Dr Surya Bahadur Gurung said the hospital lacked human resources to keep its OPD open after 5:00pm.

Other staff members at the hospital said doctors preferred to work in private health facilities, causing the human resource crunch.

Kailali Chief District Officer Govinda Rijal said they would take legal action against the health facility if it continued to flout the government directive.