AMDA Nepal, which has been running a huge hospital in Damak of Jhapa since 1992, has said that it had to fire all the staffers after being unable to manage operating cost of Mechi Amda Hospital, which was established nearly five years ago in Dhulabari. In 2008, Mechi Amda Hospital was established as per a tripartite agreement among Amda Nepal, Mechinagar Municipality Office and Mechi chapter of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). [break]
"The hospital can be saved only if some new investors join us," said Dr Nabin Dhakal, Director of AMDA Nepal. "Otherwise, it will surely be shut down." With the closure of Mechi AMDA Hospital, people in electoral constituency-1 of Jhapa district will have to depend on either private hospitals in nearby towns or local health posts for treatment.
Two doctors, three pharmacy staff, three lab technicians, three nurses, three caretakers and one administration staffer employed at Mechi AMDA Hospital have not received their salaries for the last several months. They say they have not received money for their overtime work for the last three years. Despite being fired by AMDA Nepal, some of them are still working with the hope of getting their due salaries and revival of the hospital.
However, Executive Officer of Mechinagar Municipality Office Bhim Prasad Poudel, who is also an ex officio chairman of the management committee of Mechi Amda Hospital, said firing of the hospital staff was not their decision. "We did not take this decision. I just heard they (Amda Nepal) fired all the staff," said Poudel. "It sends a clear signal that they want to pull out of the hospital in Dhulabari."
Poudel said Mechinagar Municipality Office will leave no stone unturned to run the hospital. "We will try to run the hospital with support from local communities," said Poudel.
AMDA is an association of medical doctors of ASIA. Its Damak-based hospital is well known for providing medical services to Bhutanese refugees living in several camps of Jhapa in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
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