Doctors crunch hits Jajarkot Hospital

Jajarkot, February 11

Patients have been deprived of trustworthy health service due to lack of doctors in Jajarkot District Hospital. Not a single patient has been admitted in the hospital for the last one month.

A few health workers working in the district hospital carry out minor check-up, provide medicines and refer patients to another health facility.

Locals are compelled to spend thousands of rupees to go to other health facilities to avail basic health services due to lack of quality healthcare in the hospital.

The hospital has a quota of 65 health workers, including seven experts. However, only 18 health workers are serving in the hospital.

The hospital was expanded to a 50-bed facility from 15 four years ago.

The quota of paediatrician, gynaecologist, anaesthetist, physician, orthopaedic surgeon and seven experts, three medical officers and Ayurveda doctors have been vacant in the hospital. Similarly, quota of physiotherapist, medical lab technologist and radiographer has remained vacant as well. Of the eight staff nurse quota, seven are vacant.

Jajarkot District Public Health Office Acting Chief Tikaram Jaisi said the authority concerned had paid no attention to address the problems despite frequent requests.

Similarly, department of dental service has been closed for the last four months at the hospital after Dr Nisha Budhamagar took leave. Likewise, delivery service has also been closed after Dr Mahesh Silwal left the district. Silwal was on two years contract under the scholarship quota of the health ministry. He left the hospital after working for a year, citing poor management and staff crunch.

Four medical officers, who have been working on contract basis, have obstructed video x-ray service saying they did not receive payment for two years of overtime duty.

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