Dolakha, January 15

Private hospitals and health facilities were found to be operating without meeting the set criteria and standard in Dolakha.

Not a single health facility met the criteria set by the government for infrastructure, human resources and equipment. Three private hospitals, some polyclinics, dental hospitals and pharmacies are in operation in the district.

Dolakha headquarters Charikot has 55-bed Chho Rolpa General Hospital and Dolakha has a 15-bed Community Hospital. Similarly, 55-bed Gauri Shankar Community Hospital is under construction.

These hospitals had pledged to meet the standards in writing. However, they were found to be operating with few MBBS doctors, some staff nurses, and a handful of health assistants.

Hospital proprietors admitted that hospital buildings and compound were not in line with the government directive.

A 25-bed hospital, should have four MBBS doctors, one BN nurse, five nurses, at least one MDGP doctor.

A 50-bed hospital should have one physician, one surgeon, one paediatrician, one gynaecologist, six MBBS doctors, two BN nurses, and ten staffers. However, no hospital was found to have followed the health directive.

Proprietor Amrit Kshetri of Dolakha Community Hospital admitted that private hospitals had not met government criteria. Kshetri said he was trying to add manpower and necessary technology at his hospital.

Staffers at Gaurishankar Hospital said the health facility had failed to meet the criteria after the earthquake. Kathmandu University School Medical Sciences Assistant Dean Dipak Shrestha said work was under way to build a 55-bed hospital meeting the standard.

Assistant CDO Bal Krishna Katuwal of Dolakha said the inspection team had reported that all the private health facilities had failed to meet the set criteria. District Public Health Office is authorised to give licence and renew the licence of 25-bed hospitals whereas Regional Health Directorate is authorised to do the same for  hospitals with over  25 beds.