Jajarkot, October 27

Though five years have elapsed since the Jajarkot District Hospital was upgraded to a 50-bed health facility, no special health service has been launched at the hospital so far.

The hospital had 15 beds before its upgradation in February. The upgraded hospital was inaugurated by then

Minister of Home Affairs Shakti Bahadur Basnet amidst a grand function on May 23.

The hospital has not been able to deliver effective health services due to the lack of infrastructure, expert manpower and medical equipment.

With the upgradation, the hospital had opened quota for an 11th grade medical superintendent, eight specialists, four medical doctors, five health assistants, six staff nurses, six ANMs, and 11 office helpers, besides other health workers.

However, the hospital currently has four medical officers and a dental surgeon while they are unable to deliver quality services for want of necessary tools and equipment, as per Acting Chief Dr Chadani Jaiswal. “Nine more special health services were said to be provided at the hospital after its upgradation,” said Jaiswal.

The locals complained that they were deprived of accessible and quality health care despite the hospital’s upgradation.

A month ago, Jasbir Pariyar of Bherimalika municipality–1, Kalegaun had reached the hospital seeking treatment for snake bite. But the hospital staff sent him back without treatment as they did not have anti-venom.

Similarly, doctors at the health facility returned Tara Singh of Talegaun–7 when she’d reached the hospital seeking parturition service a couple of weeks ago, as per her brother Khim Bahadur Singh. “Though the government spent a huge budget for the hospital’s upgradation, it has failed to deliver quality service,” regretted Prakash Kumar Shahi, of Khalanga Thaplechaur.