BAJURA, MAY 9
As coronavirus cases increase daily in Bajura, patients have been facing problems due to lack of ambulance.
Two persons have already died due to the virus in the district.
COVID patients are facing difficulties because they cannot reach health facilities as there is no ambulance.
Bajura District Hospital, had referred COVID patient Ward 9 Chairman Binod Kumar BK to Dadeldhura, but no vehicle were ready to take BK there. Finally, Ward 8 Chair Prakash Rawal offered his own vehicle and took BK to Dadeldhura for treatment.
But BK died on the way to Dadeldhura at Sanphebagar, Achham on the same day.
Patients have not been able to reach health facilities due to lack of ambulance and many have lost their lives for want of treatment.
Civil Society leader and INSEC District Representative Padam Bahadur Singh said it was a shame that Martadi, the district headquarters, as well as the hospital did not have even a single ambulance. He said ambulance was most essential to ferry coronavirus patients to the hospital. Badimalika Municipality Health Department Chief Tek Bahadur Khadka said private jeeps ferried the patients, but refused to take COVID-infected people COVID. "It's very difficult for COVID patients to find vehicles that will take them to health facilities," he added.
Chief District Officer Gopal Adhikari said the district dwellers were facing problems as the district headquarters had no ambulance. He said an ambulance offered by the Indian Embassy five years ago was out of order even before it was brought into operation.
One ambulance each is being been operated in Himali and Swamikartik Khapar rural municipalities and Budhiganga Municipality.
Dr Prakash Joshi of Bajura District Health Office said the budget allocated for buying an ambulance and hearse was returned after the vehicles could not be bought last year. He said that the budget this year was allocated for the same and the purchase process has begun. Joshi said that the vehicles would arrive within one to two months.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 10, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
