As a result, doctors at the hospital have been treating patients in a conjusted single-story building for the past five years. According to doctors, patients coming to OPD or emergency are the most affected. "When it comes to dealing with cases of child delivery, we have no other option but to refer them to the nearest private clinics," said a doctor. [break]
Had the contractor worked regularly, then the new building would have been completed by now, shared Khadak Kunwar, a local. The contractor had agreed to complete the construction work by 2010 at the cost of Rs 52.426 million.
"The contractor´s term has alraeady been extended twice but the work still remains incomplete," said Kuwar. "Authority concerned should do the needful to make sure that there is no further delay in completing the hospital. This will bring much relief to the locals in the district," said Kuwar.
However, the chairman of the hospital construction committee Tulsi Aryal attributed the delay in the work to recurring strikes, geographical inaccessibility, lack of sufficient workers besides lack of seriousness on the part of the contractor.
According to the govenrment plan, Burtiwang hospital will be upgraded to district hospital after the Baglung District Hospital was upgraded to zonal hospital.
Senior public health administrator Sagar Dahal said the upgrading of the hospital is possible only when the new building is complete. "The construction work is getting nowhere," he said.
However, the contractor, Purva Paschim Kankai US Joint Venture said that construction work is in the final phase and will be completed soon.
"The work has suffered lately due to continuous rains and lack of enough manpower," said site in-charge Kaji Silwal.
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