SURKHET: The Mid-western Regional Hospital in Surkhet has not been able to provide medical services round the clock due to lack of funds to operate the hospital generator.

An advanced generator that was purchased with the view to provide uninterrupted power supply in the hospital two years ago is currently useless as the hospital lacks funds for the fuel to operate the generator.

The generator has the capacity of generating 20 KW of power, but the hospital can't afford the fuel to run the generator, a hospital source said. According to the source, the generator consumed 60 litres of diesel worth some 4000 rupees every day.

"We have not been able to provide adequate medical services since we are unable to operate the generator due to lack of funds," Dr Nyuchheman Dangol, acting medical superintendent of the hospital said.

"As the hospital has not allocated sufficient budget for fuel expenses and funds could not be managed from other resources, we could not operate the generator," added Dr Dangol.

The hospital had purchased the generator at a cost of 20 lakh rupees two years ago.

However, the hospital also has two smaller generators for urgent services. The small generators are being operated for emergency and maternity wards while the other wards remain in the dark during load-shedding hours.

"Power could be supplied in the hospital round the clock if there was sufficient funds for the expense to run the generator," Dr Dangol said, regretting that the advanced equipment could not be used.

The service seekers visiting the hospital are also dissatisfied for they cannot receive medical treatment due to lack of electricity.