Pyuthan, September 24:

In these days of cold affection, when doctoring is mostly just a means to lining the pocket by feeding on the fears of patients, one man in this district has dared plough his lonely but glorious furrow...treating patients free of cost. The doctor in question, Lekhraj Subedi, has been treating patients free of cost for the last two years, and runs a clinic in a mud house at Bijayanagar VDC. Often, due to the serpentine queues of patients Dr Subedi does not even get the time to have his meals, according to his assistants. Dr Subedi left for Pyuthan district hospital, Bijuwar, two years ago and since then he has been shouldering his responsibility as a very dutiful doctor.

“I don’t mind treating poor patients for free,” Dr Subedi said, adding that in case anyone wants to pay fees, he charges Rs 50 only. Dr Subedi also doesn’t hesitate to make house calls . Patients need not visit his chamber to get treatment. He himself prefers to visit patients and make door-to-door calls. Dr. Subedi began his medical career in 1978 as a health assistant at Mission Hospital, Palpa. He has done his MBBS in general medicine from Teaching

Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu. The people of Pyuthan laud him for having opted to serve in a district instead of confining himself to Kathmandu where he could have minted ample money. Dr Subedi said, “We doctors should believe in serving patients, that is our duty,” said he.