The construction of a 10-bed hospital in Nisikhola Rural Municipality, Baglung, is left incomplete due to a lack of budget. Stating that it did not get payment for the work already completed, the construction company halted work on the under construction hospital situated at the border of ward 3 and 4 of the rural municipality.

As per the federal government’s plan to construct a basic hospital in each local unit across the nation in the fiscal year 2019-20, Nisikhola Rural Municipality signed a project agreement with Himdung Construction Company four years ago for Rs109.9 million. As per the agreement, the project was to be completed by mid-January 2024 but it is nowhere near completion.

The federal government in the annual budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 had announced the construction of a basic hospital with 10 to 15 beds in each local unit across the nation. However, these projects in many local units have stalled in several local units due to budget shortages.

“We could not pay the contractor for the work it had already completed, so the construction company stopped work citing lack of operational funds. The federal government has not provided the required budget. We don’t know when the company will resume work,” said Surya Bahadur Gharti, chairman of Nisikhola Rural Municipality.

The local residents were hopeful of receiving quality health services close to their settlements with the construction of the hospital. But their dreams have been dashed by the delays.

“The locals have to travel far for hospital services. But once the hospital comes into operation, around 25,000 people are expected to benefit from the services,” said Gharti. The under construction hospital is near the Baglung section of the Mid-Hill Highway. According to the locals, the health institution is also intended to serve as a highway hospital.

The local unit had initiated construction of the hospital after local residents donated around nine ropani (0.46 hectares) of land. But the hospital remains incomplete due to the failure of the federal government to release the budget.

According to Jiwan Pun, chief administrative officer at the rural municipality, the contractor is yet to be paid more than Rs10 million for the work that was completed during the last fiscal year of 2023-24. “We have repeatedly requested the federal government for the budget, but it has not been released yet,” said Pun.

Nisikhola Rural Municipality is located in the remote part of Baglung, a hill district of Gandaki Province. There are health posts only in 3 of the 7 wards of the rural municipality. The villagers have to travel about 130 km to the Baglung district headquarters or 90 km to neighbouring Palpa district for hospital services.

“The rural municipality plans to provide basic health services including maternity service with at least one specialist doctor. Hospital service is urgently needed in the Nisikhola area due to its geographical remoteness and demographic needs,” said Juni Gharti, health unit chief of Nisikhola Rural Municipality. She urged the authorities concerned to understand the gravity of the issue and release the budget.

The construction site of the hospital is across the Nisikhola stream. A bridge needs to be constructed to connect the under construction hospital with the Mid-Hill Highway. In the last fiscal year, the rural municipality constructed a concrete embankment near the hospital at the cost of Rs2 million.

It plans to construct a truss bridge across the Nisikhola stream. “We completed the survey work and prepared the design, which has been sent to the Gandaki Province government for budget approval,” said Prem Gharti, vice-chairman of Nisikhola Rural Municipality.