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Burtibang Primary Health Centre lacks ambulance, blood transfusion centre

The centre has been referring patients to other health institutions for lack of employees and resources.

The health facility in Baglung has been referring patients to other institutions for lack of employees and resources. Post file photo: Prakash Baral

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Prakash Baral

Published at : February 23, 2020

Updated at : February 23, 2020 08:46

Baglung

Burtibang Primary Health Centre in Baglung receives around 200 patients daily. On average, up to three pregnant women undergo delivery and two undergo surgery every day at the health centre that is 90 kilometres west of Baglung Bazaar, the district headquarters of Baglung.

But of late, the centre has been referring patients to other health institutions for lack of employees and resources.

“The health institution does not have an ambulance or blood transfusion centre,” said Dr Milan Malla, chief at the health centre. “We have been referring patients to other health centres since we don’t have the resources to treat them here.”

With just three doctors at present, the health facility has been facing difficulties to treat patients, said Malla.

The centre, however, does provide 24-hour emergency services and OPD, X-ray, ultrasound and lab facilities, among other services.

“It’s challenging to run a health centre in the absence of resources. It’s not like running an administrative centre,” said Malla.

In the last fiscal year, Dev Kumar Nepali, mayor of Dhorpatan Municipality in Baglung, had declared that the local unit would purchase an ambulance for the health centre, but the plan has yet to come to fruition.

“I am making efforts to purchase an ambulance for the health centre from our internal budget this year,” said Nepali.

Doctors at the health centre said they have to call ambulances from Bhimgitthe and Gwalichaur during emergencies.

The residents of Dhorpatan, Nisikhola, Tamankhola and Badigad frequent the institution for health services. But with the hospital lacking resources and staff, they have to go to Palpa and Butwal for treatment, said Amrita Pun, a resident of Supurdung.

“The health centre needs to have an ambulance and a blood transfusion centre. If they had these facilities, we wouldn’t have to go elsewhere for treatment,” said Pun.

The primary health centre is a proposed 15-bed hospital. It is currently reeling under a shortage of lab assistant, medical officer, nurses, office assistant and administrative staff.

Jeet Bahadur Bhattachan, a resident of Burtibang, said that since the area is being developed as a model city, the authorities must prioritise health facilities.

“The concerned authority should take initiatives to develop the health centre to a fully facilitated hospital,” he said.