PARBAT, Feb 9: As the health department fails to distribute 70 different types of free medicines assured by the government, patients visiting Parbat District Hospital continue to struggle with their illnesses.
The patients lament that they have been obliged to buy medicines from private medicine shops, as the hospital does not have even the free medicines. Due to the lack of sufficient medicines and qualified doctors, the district hospital of Parbat has not been able to deliver its services effectively.
Parbat district hospital's 'taxi ambulance'
Until a few years ago, this hospital had a good reputation among the service seekers. However, it has been losing its charm these days owing to the negligence of Hospital Management Committee, doctors and the local unit. This has compelled the patients in Parbat to go to Baglung, Pokhara and Myagdi for treatment.
On Friday, Balaram Paudel of Kushma Municipality-7 visited Parbat District Hospital after suffering from stomachache. He kept struggling with pain for more than two hours but no one could provide him the medicine he needed. As a result, his family members rushed him to Pokhara for treatment.
"The patient was screaming with pain but the hospital did not have the free medicines assured by the government," said Gokul Chapagain of Kushma-5, adding, "So, the patient was referred to Pokhara." Chapagain who visited the hospital after a long time realized that the Parbat District Hospital is itself sick.
According to Dr Bishnu Bhandari, he has repeatedly informed the hospital authorities to bring medicines but still nothing has been done yet. He laments that he has been obliged to hear the complaints of the people. Recently, a video of patients and their family members venting their ire to Dr Bhandari accusing him and the hospital of negligence went viral on Facebook.
Meanwhile, Dr Santoshi Thapaliya, acting chief of Parbat Hospital stated that Dr Bhandari does not know much about the hospital, as he is new. "We don't always receive all 70 medicines to be provided free of cost by the government," said Dr Thapaliya. She claimed that the hospital has not been provided with any new medicines since the beginning of current fiscal year.
