Dadeldhura Hospital, the only hospital functioning in Sudurpaschim Province under the federal government, is facing a shortage of human resources.
Although the hospital has been retitled as Dadeldhura Hospital from sub-regional and is operating under the federal government, there is a shortage of skilled manpower in the hospital. At present, only 12 doctors are working in the hospital, which has a quota of 19 specialist doctors. Of them, only three are permanent doctors and nine are those who have completed their MBBS course in government scholarship.
Patients of the region are compelled to visit the hospitals of the Terai districts for treatment as there are no specialist doctors in the hospital.
Because of shortage of doctors and medical officers in the hospital located in the centre of seven hilly districts of the Sudhurpaschim Province, the patients have to go elsewhere for treatment. At present, there are only three medical officers in the hospital, which has 18 vacant posts. Earlier, there were eight medical officers. Dr. Chetraj Bhatta, acting Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said that fresh MBBS doctors were serving here after completing their studies under scholarship. They serve for two years.
According to Dr. Bhatta, the hospital currently has 12 specialists including one physician, two orthopedic surgeons, two pediatricians, one MDGP, two general surgeons, one radiologist, one nose and throat specialist, one anesthesiologist and one lab specialist. There is still a shortage of seven specialist doctors, he said.
Although there are 35 nurses in the hospital, there is a problem in the ward as 10 nurses are currently on maternity leave. The 100-bed hospital has ICU, NICU, surgical ward, general ward and emergency ward. Even if five nurses are deployed in a ward, 30 nurses have to be deployed. At present, 10 nurses are on leave, said Dr. Bhatta, adding that they are facing problems in treatment and patient care.
He said that despite making repeated requests to the Ministry of Health and Population for extra doctors and health workers, no doctor was sent to the hospital. According to Dr. Bhatta, there is always a shortage of manpower in the hospital as fresh MBBS doctors who have studied in scholarships serve for only one year and leave the hospital under different pretexts.
Source : TRN,
