KATHMANDU, Feb 8: In 1941, Shukraraj Shastri, Dharmabhakta Mathema, Gangalal Shrestha, and Dasharath Chand took a stand against the Rana oligarchy, demanding freedom. In response, the Rana rulers executed them between January 23 and January 28 of the same year, hoping to silence the voices of dissent.
However, instead of suppressing the movement, their ultimate sacrifice fueled the fight for democracy. The call for freedom only grew stronger, spreading like wildfire. Finally, on February 18, 1951, the 104-year-long Rana rule came to an end.
With democracy restored, Nepal embarked on a journey of progress, built upon the unwavering courage of these four martyrs who embraced death with a smile for the nation’s freedom. From democracy to reinstated democracy and ultimately to a federal democratic republic, the people of Nepal now enjoy the liberty their predecessors fought for.
Among the four, Gangalal Shrestha’s legacy lives on through the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, established nearly three decades ago in Basbari, Kathmandu. Following the 1990 political change, the government led by Girija Prasad Koirala opted to privatize several state-owned enterprises, including the Basbari Leather Shoe Factory.
The decision initially met with strong opposition, with critics arguing that it deprived thousands of Nepalis of affordable footwear, leaving them vulnerable to rough terrains. However, in place of the closed factory, the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre was founded in 1996 under the Ministry of Health.
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This institution emerged through the collective efforts of senior doctors, including Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey, Dr. Arun Sayami, Dr. Bhagwan Koirala, and Dr. Awanibhushan Upadhyaya. With land provided by the government, the center soon gained recognition as Nepal’s premier heart disease hospital. Outpatient services commenced on December 30, 1998, under the leadership of Dr. KC, followed by the launch of inpatient services with just 10 beds on April 22, 2000.
The hospital may not have been able to provide shoes to protect feet from stones and thorns, but it has undoubtedly saved thousands of lives by treating heart ailments. The sacrifice of the four martyrs laid the foundation for democracy and the hospital named after one of the martyrs, Gangalal, has become a beacon of hope for those suffering from heart disease.
A significant milestone was achieved on September 3, 2001, when Gangalal Hospital successfully performed its first heart surgery on a patient from Rolpa at around 6 a.m.—a defining moment in Nepal’s medical history. Just last year, the hospital conducted heart surgeries on 1,982 individuals.
In the span of a year, the hospital served 199,972 patients through outpatient services and provided emergency care to 15,143 individuals. It attended to 22,670 emergency cases, performed ECGs on 124,247 patients, and conducted echocardiograms for 73,133 individuals. Additionally, the hospital carried out 2,510 coronary angioplasties, 5,939 angiograms, 1,336 pacemaker implantations, and 360 ASD device closure procedures.
What began with just nine inpatient beds on April 28, 2000, has now expanded into a 300-bed facility. At its inception, Dr. Damodar Pokhrel served as its first executive director. Today, the hospital is led by cardiologists Man Bahadur KC, Arun Maskey, Rabi Malla, Yubraj Limbu, and Diwakar Sharma, with cardiac surgeon Ramesh Koirala making notable contributions. Neeta Dangol oversees nursing services, while Bachchu Kailash Kaini manages administration.
The hospital’s remarkable progress is also credited to the efforts of individuals like Gopal Rajbhandari, Dr. Dinesh Chandra Pokhrel, and Ashok Shrestha. Rajbhandari, a social activist, played a key role in coordinating with Australian volunteers to construct the cath lab, its first cath lab building, operating theaters, ICUs, MICUs, and five single cabins. He also contributed to the construction of the Gopal-Kamal Surgery and Intensive Care Building.
Executive Director Dr. Malla acknowledges that Rajbhandari’s active involvement and dedication were instrumental in overcoming the hospital’s early resource constraints.
Through generous donations, the hospital built a three-story facility, now housing a daycare ICU that has been operational for several months. Social worker Indira Mall further supported the expansion by funding an additional floor, increasing ICU capacity to accommodate 80 more patient attendants. Moreover, the hospital, in collaboration with the National Innovation Center, repaired and reinstated 350 medical devices this year.
To streamline services, the hospital has set up four counters to manage patient flow in the outpatient department. According to Dr. Malla, laboratory samples are now collected within 15 minutes, significantly reducing wait times and improving efficiency.
Over the past 29 years, the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre has made heart care more accessible to the general public. It has provided free heart treatment to children under 15, valve surgeries for senior citizens since 2009, and financial relief for underprivileged patients—continuing its mission of saving lives with compassion and excellence.
