Ramesh Pun, a local of Chinchu, Surkhet, had visited the hospital to seek the service for his son recently. He was forced to go to a private hospital after learning that the CT scan service in the zonal hospital was not working.
"I came to learn that the CT scan machine is not working since a long time," said Pun grieving that he had to pay steep higher prices for the service at a private hospital.
The CT scan service, which was started three year ago, at the zonal hospital, has remained closed since June last year. An official at the hospital, wishing anonymity, claimed that the service has been closed for months in lack of seriousness and unnecessary lingering of a minor problem.
Besides the Bheri Zonal Hospital, Nepalgunj Medical College and Western Hospital and Research Centre provide CT scan services in the district. While Bheri Zonal Hospital charges Rs. 2,000 for CT scan, the others charge nearly double for the service.
Technician at CT scan department of the Bheri Zone Hospital, Sanjeev Mishra, claimed that there the machine does not have a serious problem while adding that the machine could be brought into use if the management section takes the issue seriously.
Medical superintendent of the hospital Dr. Shyam Sundar Yadav said they were forced to close the service due to voltage problem. He informed that the machine software was repaired at a cost of Rs. 51, 000 and claimed that the government has not provided the amount needed to fix its batteries. "An estimated amount of Rs. 5, 00,000 is required to change the battery and we have asked the budget with the government."
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