The 50-bed hospital, run by Human Development Community Service (HDCS) in coordination with the local community, has been a beacon of hope for the people of Rukum and Jajarkot. People from some parts of Salyan, Surkhet, Dolpa and Jumla also use services of this hospital that offers simple treatment to major surgeries.
"The fact that people come here walking for two-three days despite having government hospitals near home is a testimony to the goodwill earned by the hospital," said Dr Kalep Buda of the hospital.
The hospital provides round-the clock emergency service apart from OPD and IPD facilities. It is a shining example of the community-hospital partnership having been built in 1995 on two bigahas (3.35 acres) of land donated by 14 locals.
Locals have contributed to the hospital in other ways as well. Around 300 households in Chaurjahari drink water from the Bheri River but they have provided a tap to the hospital.
A management committee has been formed under Prem Prakash Oli, a local, to run the hospital. The hospital has repaid the locals by saving their lives during last year´s diarrhea epidemic. A large number of people died elsewhere in Jajarkot. But there were very few deaths in areas around Chaurjahari. "There would have been a great loss if not for the Chaurjahari Hospital," Sharma Prasad Jaishi, one of the land-donors said.
The hospital has been running free health camps and health programs in schools. The hospital has also provided jobs to locals as 40 of the 45 employees are from the surrounding area.
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