Kathmandu, May 28:

Gongabu Community Health Centre will be forced to halt its services anytime if it does not get immediate financial support, officials said.

According to Shiv Ram Gajurel, chairman of the hospital, the profit that its dispensary makes has kept the hospital afloat. “We would have already stopped the services if we hadn’t got this dispensary,” he said.

Among 663 injured demonstrators treated during Jana Andolan II, 500 patients are still receiving follow-up treatment in the hospital.

Gajurel said nine of the 22 medical staffers of the hospital have not been able to come back to work after being injured during the people’s movement. Fifteen window panes of the hospital had been broken when police hurled stones at the demonstrators as the latter took shelter in the hospital. “On April 12, police barged into the hospital and beat up Nageshwor Yadav, an x-ray man, severely,” he said. The X-ray machine was damaged in the incident.

Dr Brian Cob had made the hospital his centre to help the injured demonstrators. The hospital staffers had joined Cob for the treatment of the injured demonstrators from April 9.

The hospital had rendered services from a nearby Pratima Hotel during curfew hours. “We supplied medicine and full course antibiotics worth about Rs 3 lakh for treating the injured demonstrators,” said Gajurel. As of now, the Jana Andolan Victim Relief Fund has provided the hospital Rs 100,000.

Despite this, the hospital is providing general health check-up for free and other important services with a minimal charge. But, it has not been able to resume its OPD service yet. A few rooms are still being used to store broken furniture. The X-ray machine is lying dysfunctional at a corner.