BAJURA, APRIL 23

Construction of district hospital buildings in Bajura hasn't been completed even though the contract period has expired.

As per sources, only 65 per cent of the construction has finished thus far. Contract for the project was signed on 18 April 2018 with a view to completing it in four years.

According to Bajura District Hospital Chief Dr Prakashraj Joshi, the delay in the hospital building construction has affected treatment services.

'Without the buildings, treatment services have been hit as not a single department is running full feldgedly,' said Dr Joshi.

As the existing building is old and of limited capacity, construction of four new buildings were initiated with a plan to expand the current 15-bed hospital to a 50-bed facility at a cost of 261 million rupees. They're being constructed under the Ministry of Urban Development.

As per sources, the hospital is running many of its new services, including its PCR laboratory from rented spaces.

The data at the hospital shows that over 100 patients visit the hospital every day. As there is not enough space now, all services, including parturition and emergency services, are being given from a limited space. The contractor has lamented the hindrance caused by the COVID crisis and rainfall in the completion of the project.

A version of this article appears in the print on April 24, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.