Surkhet, October 14:

The daily activities of the Bheri Zonal Ayurved Hospital situated in Surkhet have been affected due to the lack of staffers, necessary equipment and other problems.

Though it has been more than two decades that the hospital was established, the government

has not taken any concrete measure to develop the hospital, locals complained.

“The major problem for us has been the lack of staffers. Because of the lack of staffers, the hospital hasn’t been able to provide effective service to patients,” a source in the hospital said.

The hospital has only six staffers at present — a doctor, an ayurved examiner, a baidhya, an accountant and an office assistant. It lacks x-ray machine and other necessary equipment. Though more than 50 patients visit the hospital every day, the hospital does not have beds to treat them.

“We haven’t been able to provide effective service to the patients because of the lack of staffers. We have demanded the government to allocate 17 additional staffers in the hospital,”

Dr Jhularam Adhikari, chief of the hospital, said.

The hospital has demanded the government to immediately fulfil the quotas of two kabirajs, two baidhyas, three health assistants, two persons to grind herbs and three security guards.

Meanwhile, the hospital administration yesterday organised an interaction with stakeholders concerned on ways to improve the service of the hospital. Participants of the interaction criticised the government for showing indifference to the hospital. They also said the government was not allocating adequate budget for the hospital.

Speaking at the interaction, medical superintendent at Surkhet Regional Hospital Hari Sapkota accused the political parties and civil society of not taking the probelms of the hospital seriously. Administrative officer at the Surkhet District Administration Office Nawaraj Baral and coordinator of the hospital development committee Om Bahadur Bohara also spoke on the occasion.