BIRGUNJ:  Within the third year of its operation, the condition of District Hospital located in Pokhariya Municipality of Parsa district is frustrating.

"The condition of the hospital made with the investment of millions of rupees is frustrating. Patients are forced to move toward Birgunj for the health check-up," informed Dharmendra Chaurasiya, a local, "All the wards in the hospital are locked while the delivery ward that was in operation was also close from Wednesday."

All the wards including operation theatre, orthopedic ward, surgery ward, special ward and x-ray machine among others are without use. The X-ray Operator Chanda Tiwari informed that the machines were damaged as they were substandard.

The birthing centre that was function with only one staffer, Dipi Singh, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, was also locked from Wednesday after she was off on a maternity leave.

Roshan Chaurasiya, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, informed that the hospital would soon operate the centre by hiring new human resources.

The one-side transfer of the staff by the Regional Public Health Directorate has caused such problems, informed Arun Kumar Mahato, Chief of Parsa Public Health Office.

Locals also informed that the absence of employees caused most of the problems.

The service seekers complain that they are not getting the free medicines for the last one month while Chaurasiya informed that the hospital unable to distribute the drugs as its stock run out.

The hospital has deputation of two doctors and 31 staff, while only 20 staff are regularly present and take the salary, the hospital said. Despite its claim, only half dozen people are usually available in the surroundings.

Locals also blame the Development Committee for a pitiful condition of the hospital as the Committee spent available budget in whatever projects they liked.

The hospital with 15 beds was inaugurated by the then Health Minister Rajendra Mahato four years ago. Before this, the hospital was just a primary health centre.