Sickle-cell anaemia test in limbo at Seti Zonal Hospital

DHANGADHI: The lab test for sickle-cell anaemia has discontinued at Seti Zonal Hospital for the past two months through lack of chemicals needed to analyse the disease in Kailali district.

The device installed to operate in the analysis of the disease has brought to a halt in lack of chemicals. Still, authorities in the hospital have not stepped up to address the supply and demand of chemicals from National Public Health Laboratory. Subsequently, numerous patients from Tharu communities return home without any test.

Sickle-cell Ward Chief Yashoda Dhakal said that she had informed the Hospital store and the Administration to put forward the chemical demands. However, the Medical Superintendent Sher Bahadur Kamar said he was not informed of the shortage of chemicals in the hospital.

The patients from Tharu communities visiting the Dhangadhi-based Hospital are facing problem after the hopital staffers' negligence, Tharu Nagarik Samaj (TNS) coordinator Dil Bahadur Chaudhary said.

Meanwhile, the hospital has decided to bring the chemicals to the hospital within a week on the request of TNS Vice chair Sushila Mishra.

Sickle cell anaemia is a hereditary disease which is caused by mutation of red blood cells.

Hundreds of people in the Tharu community of the western Tarai are believed to have suffered from the sickle-cell anaemia. The patients develop the symptoms of low amount of hemoglobin in blood, jaundice and acute pain in chest and joints.

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