Rajbiraj, August 7:

Many patients have been left in the lurch due to the lack of doctors in the Rajbiraj-based Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital.

Nilam Devi Chaudhari, a pregnant woman from Jandaul-5, died on Monday because the hospital was without a gynaecologist and a surgeon. There is a quota of 19 doctors in the hospital, but only seven doctors have been working there. The hospital is without gynaecologist, anaesthesist, surgeon, dentist and radiologist.

“Maternity service has been affected as the hospital does not have surgeons and gynaecologists,” SZH staffers said. Surgeon at the Department of Gynaecology, Dr Satya Dev Giri, was transferred to Birgunj three years ago. The post of surgeon has been lying vacant ever since.

Admitting that the hospital does not have a sufficient number of doctors, Dr Murali Prasad Singh, medical superintendent at the SZH, expressed commitment to improve the situation.

Meanwhile, mad dogs bit 12 people in Manebhanjyang of Khandbari-3 recently, a local UML leader, JB Ghimire, said. Authorities concerned have not taken initiatives to exterminate mad dogs, he said.

The DPHO said there was a shortage of anti-rabies vaccines.

Babies die for want of medicare

SANKHUWASABHA: Three persons, including two newborns, died for want of treatment in Hatiya village development committee-4 of Sankhuwasabha district on Tuesday. “Forty-year-old Nangningchipa Bhote and her newborns died for want of treatment,” Pasang Khamba, a local said, adding Nangningchipa died because of excessive bleeding. The two babies died of cold-related complications, Khamba said. As health workers were not present in the Area Health Post, mother and her newborns died for want of treatment, Taraman Gurung of the Sankhuwasabha chapter of the Nepali Congress said. — HNS