GAIGHAT: Province 1 government has decided to convert Gaighat-based Madan Bhandari Eye Hospital into an isolation facility.

The preparation is ongoing to establish isolation facility at the eye hospital since the province government decided to provide treatment in the local level as the cases of coronavirus infection have been surging daily across the country.

The province government has allocated Rs 1.5 million for establishing the isolation facility, according to Netrajyoti Association President Bhagwat Raut. He said the isolation unit is being established for the COVID patients in Udayapur as the hospitals in Biratnagar and Dharan has witnessed an increasing number of patients daily.

The Netrajyoti Association has been accorded with the responsibility of managing the eye hospital since 12 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bhulke, Triyuga Municipality-3.

Raut added that Ministry of Health and Population on July 13 decided to convert the hospital into isolation facility and provide 30 beds initially. The three-storey building of the hospital has 42 rooms with the capacity of holding 60 beds. At present, the hospital has 16 toilets and urine basins.

A 26-bed hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 has already come into operation at Beltar in the district, according to Udayapur District Health Office Chief Mohan Subedi.