KATHMANDU, Nov 7: Toothache patients have to wait more than a year to get treatment at Bir Hospital as its dental department is reeling under a severe manpower crunch. Staffers at the department ask new patients to come at the end of 2013.
The department said patients have to wait that long as hundreds of them are already in the waiting list. "Doctors did not examine my problem; they only looked at my swollen check and asked me to come after a year to fill a decaying tooth," said Parbati Ghimire of Sindhupalchowk. She said bacteria will completely finish off her tooth if she waits for a year. "How can I wait for a year when my aching tooth is already giving me so much trouble," she complained. [break]
Doctor says the infection might spread to other teeth if it is not treated in time.
Narayan Dhakal of Jhapa said he spent a lot of money for root canal treatment on a tooth damaged in an accident.
"Only two senior doctors and two medical officers remain in the department, and how much can you expect from just four doctors," complained Prof. Sarita Joshi.
Due to shortage of dentists, the department stopped providing root canal treatment a year ago. Root canal is a dental procedure that replaces damaged or infected pulp in the tooth with filling.
In the absence of service at Bir, patients have to pay exorbitant charges at private centers.
Patients from across the country go to Bir, the country´s only referral center for quality and economic service. Dr Joshi stressed that even 10 doctors are insufficient for the dental department. She said the department does not have any problem with infrastructure.
The hospital authorities concede that the dental department is functioning with the help of volunteer dentists who come for internship.
Dr Bulanda Thapa, director of the hospital, admits that dental patients have to wait months. "I do not have authority to meet the manpower shortage and the National Academy of Medical Science (NAMS) is indifferent," he said.
Due to the halt in services, students studying dentistry at the hospital are also being deprived of learning, he added.