GAIGHAT: The District Administration Office (DAO), Udayapur has initiated an action against the District Hospital administration after the emergency ward of the hospital was found without a doctor and other staff.

Three people injured in a jeep accident in Sitenipakha at Rautamai Rural Municipality-4 on Tuesday afternoon were rushed to the hospital to find nobody to respond to them in the emergency ward of the hospital.

The injured had to be rushed to Biratnagar as a result.

Stringent action has been initiated against the hospital administration authorities for the gross dereliction of duty, said Chief District Officer (CDO) of Udayapur Pradip Raj Kandel.

The action has been initiated because the duty staff was not present at the hospital despite the hospital administration being informed about the injured being brought in, Kandel added.

A search is being carried out to find Dr Amit Mishra, who was on duty at the ward that day.

The Ministry of Health has also been reported about the matter, according to Kandel.

Meanwhile, the locals as well as relatives of the injured have come out in strong protest of the hospital doctors and staff.

As a result, the local administration has provided security cover to the hospital premises to avoid any untoward incident, Chief at the District Police Office (DPO), Superintendent of Police Nawaraj Bhatta said.

A hospital employee, however, said that a team led by the Hospital Chief Dr Bishal Dev, had left on Monday for a health camp to be held in Sunkoshi Rural Municipality. Apparently, this was the reason for the lack of staff at the hospital.

Kamal Magar (45) died on the spot, while driver Ratna Rai, along with Bhakta Bahadur Sarki and Nirmala Rai were seriously injured in the jeep accident that took place on Tuesday afternoon.

The injured are now undergoing treatment at the Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar after being referred there, according to Bhatta.