Chitwan, December 14

Bharatpur hospital of Chitwan, which has been providing health care services to around 200,000 patients every year, is preparing to upgrade its capacity.

The 300-bed hospital had added 135 more beds at the initiative of hospital development committee.

Now the committee is preparing to add 165 more beds. After addition of new beds, the hospital will have a total bed capacity of 600.

According to Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Keshavraj Bhurtel, a building has already been constructed at the cost of around Rs 350 million to accommodate the additional beds and other facilities.

“Besides, Rs 40 million has been allocated for the purchase of necessary equipment,” Dr Bhurtel informed. He said the upgrade works will be completed by mid-January.

“With additional beds, we are planning to run an ICU for infants and build two dozen cabins with better facilities,” he said.

Further, Bhurtel also informed about preparations to hire health workers. “We currently have 50 doctors appointed by the government and 25 hired by the hospital development committee.

Once the beds are added we are thinking of hiring 15 more doctors and 90 staff nurses, among others,” he said.

Patients from as far as Dhading, Lamjung, Gorkha, Nawalparasi and Makawanpur districts visit the hospital.