DAMAULI: Patients and other health service seekers have been left in a lurch since the doctors have not been attending their duty regularly at Damauli Hospital, in Tanahun district.

Patients have been deprived of health services at the hospital due to doctors' irregular attendance since the government imposed nationwide lockdown on March 23 in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19.

It has been reported that the doctors do not want to take any risk as the hospital lacks medical supplies including personal protective equipment (PPE) at a time when coronavirus pandemic is spreading.

Although a few staff members including staff nurse, auxiliary nurse midwives, pharmacist, and personnel at Out Patient Department (OPD) ticket counter have been attending to their duties, they keep mum on the irregular attendance of doctors.

Likewise, patients complained that the hospital's medical superintendent has not come into contact for a long time. The health service seekers have lamented that the hospital did not have availability of blood and medicines. However, Dr Ramhari Dahal spoke in defence of the doctors saying he was attending his patients from time to time. He said the doctors were advised to prepare and take measures to fight against the spreading of coronavirus.

A patient -- Ishwari Adhikari, resident of Sewar, Byas Municipality-10 -- visiting the hospital today for health check-up said she was returning home after doctors were not available in the hospital. She said she was going to reserve an ambulance to consult with doctors in another hospital in Pokhara. Another patient, a new mother from Sange, Byas-6 said she was returning home as the hospital did not have good services.