Pokhara, November 21

An American national has offered to provide money for repairing a CT scan machine, which had remained dysfunctional for the last 15 months in Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara.

Medical Superintendent at the hospital Dr Shreekrishna Shrestha said that an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Health and Nepal-based Phillip Company on Thursday regarding the matter.

An American citizen had offered to provide Rs 10.3 million required to repair the CT scan machine. He had offered the amount to Phillip Company through an American organisation.

Patients were compelled to visit expensive private health centres for CT scan after the CT scan machine at the regional hospital went dysfunctional.

Staffers at the hospital said the hospital does not have trained manpower to operate the machine.The machine had gone dysfunctional one-and-half months after its warranty period expired. The hospital charged patients Rs 2,000 per scan, while private health centres charge up to Rs 5,000 for the same.