DAMAULI, NOVEMBER 24

Lack of manpower has affected treatment services at Damauli Hospital in Tanahun. The hospital is run with the help of contractbased doctors who had studied under government quota and are serving here on contract basis.

"Of the 30 health workers we have now, two are permanent doctors from the government; the majority were either managed on contract or appointed locally by the hospital management committee," said Medical Superintendent Dr Sunil Poudel.

"Apparently, we are making do even amidst the manpower shortage, but it's difficult," said Dr Poudel, also sharing the problem the hospital is facing in paying salaries to the staff appointed by the hospital management committee.

The 15-bed hospital is running with 42 beds now. Poudel said additional beds had been managed on the roof of the hospital building with the two million rupees budget from Gandaki Province government.

"In fact, we are planning to add paediatric, surgery and orthopaedic wards by seeking budget from the province government. Let's see what happens," he said.

Of the 30 staffers at the hospital, 11 are office assistants. Regarding the treatment of skin and dental patients, the hospital only has contract-based government-quota doctors.

"We are in for more problems as the contract of the 21 staff who were procured during the COVID crisis hasn't been extended," Dr Poudel said.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 25, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.