Prolonged delays in hospital construction have left people of remote rural municipalities in Jumla without basic healthcare, forcing patients to travel long distances for treatment.

In Kanakasundari Rural Municipality, a 15-bed basic hospital building remains incomplete nearly six years after its foundation stone was laid in 2020 by then local unit chief Narabir Rawat. Locals say that the delay is disheartening, particularly as 22 households had donated around 3,500 square metres of land free of cost for the project.

“The building should have been ready within three years, but there has been little progress,” said a local, preferring anonymity. “We gave land in the hope of better health services, but the project has stalled.”

The construction contract, worth Rs150 million, was awarded to TDR Laxmi Majdur Nirman Sewa, with a deadline clearly set. However, despite receiving advance payments, the contractor failed to maintain progress. Locals blame both the contractor’s negligence and weak monitoring by the rural municipality.

Deependra Bhandari, chief administrative officer of Kanakasundari, acknowledged earlier setbacks. “The project had been abandoned for some time, and the contractor was not even in contact,” said Bhandari. “Now, after a new team has taken charge, work has picked up pace.”

According to the rural municipality, the contractor had taken an advance of Rs12.8 million and left the site idle. A first running bill of Rs10.4 million has already been paid, while a second payment is in process. Officials say the deadline has been extended and construction is now moving forward.

A similar delay has affected a 10-bed hospital in Tila Rural Municipality, where the foundation stone was laid in December 2020 by then state minister for health Nawaraj Rawat. The project, funded by the federal government at a cost of Rs120 million, was initially scheduled for completion by February 2023.

Chairperson Motilal Rokaya said the rural municipality had to extend the contract twice due to delayed budget releases from the federal government. “The construction is now in its final stage, with work such as fitting doors and windows and painting still pending,” said Rokaya, adding that the construction company promised to complete the project by mid-July.

The projects are part of a federal plan to build 5 to 15-bed hospitals in all local units. Forty-two such facilities were planned across Karnali Province to improve access to basic healthcare.