Nepal

Bajura patients using public vehicles to reach hospitals

By HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

Image: Bajura district/Google maps

BAJURA, JULY 16

Patients have been compelled to use bus, jeep and other means of transportation after the ambulances in the district went dysfunctional.

Due to lack of ambulances, patients have been facing problems.

An eight-year-old patient Kiran Rokaya of Gaumul Rural Municipality was supposed to be taken to Dhangadi by ambulance after Bajura Hospital referred him to Dhangad, but she was taken to the hospital with the support of oxygen in a jeep yesterday. Kiran was injured after a stone hit him while he was grazing goats in the nearby jungle. It took more than 12 hours to reach Dhangadi from Bajura.

Kiran's father Jogi Rokaya said that a jeep was reserved to take him to the Dhangadi-based hospital the same night. Unconscious Kiran was taken the hospital in a public vehicle. Many patients have faced the same problem due to lack of ambulances.

Two ambulances of Budhiganga Municipality and one of Badimalika Municipality went out of function. No authority concerned paid attention to buy new ambulances and repair the old ones. The ambulances of Himali and Swamikartik Khapar rural municipalities could not be brought into operation due to obstruction of road following rainfalls along the Martadi-Kolti road section. Locals said that they have been facing problems due to frequent damage of essential services.

Pregnant women and patients are compelled to use jeep and bus to reach hospital due to lack of ambulances.

Most of the patients went to Bayalpata Hospital, Achham, from Bajura for treatment. Budiganga Municipality Health Coordinator Dipak Shah said most of the patients used public vehicles to reach the hospital.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 17, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.