Bardiya, October 20:

Poor patients denied treatment due to infrastructure problems.

Patients coming for treatment in Bardiya District Hospital are being forced to go to other hospitals because of the lack of doctors.

Though the hospital has a quota of three doctors, only Dr Ramashankar Deep, who is also the chief of the district hospital, has been working in the hospital.

Dr Gunaraj Lohani was transferred from the hospital six months ago. The situation aggravated

after Dr Khagendra Jung Shah and Dr Rabindra Khadka also left the hospital after completing their internships two months ago.

With the shortage of doctors, the hospital staffers have no option but to turn away patients coming for treatment.

“The hospital doesn’t have doctors as per the quota at a time when the number of patients is increasing,” Dr Deep said, adding that he alone could not treat all the patients coming to the hospital. “I check patients in the out-patient department from 10 am to 2 pm. I also have to treat other patients admitted in the hospital. It is very difficult for a single doctor to look after all the patients,” he said.

Many patients have started heading to Nepalgunj for treatment because of the lack of doctors in the district hospital. However, poor patients, who cannot afford to go to Nepalgunj, have been hardly hit.

“Patients who can afford costly treatment are heading to Nepalgunj. But poor patients have no options, have to return homes without getting treatment ,” said a staffer in the hospital.

Dr Deep said he had informed Department of Health about the situation. “But I have no idea when the hospital will get doctors as per its quota,” he added. Except some minor operations, the hospital has stopped operating on patients. “Operations have been halted after Dr Lohani was transferred,” the staffer said.

Bal Bahadur Mahat, chief of Bardiya District Public Health Office, conceded that lack of doctors has been affecting the hospital. “There is only one doctor at a time when the number of patients is on rise.”