The Dadeldhura Sub Regional Hospital, which was formed after the merger of Dadeldhura Team Hospital and the District Hospital not long ago to provide improved and efficient health services, is grappling with problems caused by lack of staff and resources.

The hospital only has one Assistant Health worker (AHW) catering to hundreds of patients flocking to the hospital daily. Maternity service, which the Team Hospital was known for before the merger, has been hit hard.    

Dhanmaya Dhami of Siddhapur village was referred to Kailali recently, as the hospital lacked resources to conduct an emergency caesarean section to remove the dead foetus from her womb.

Dhanmaya was among the fortunate few, as most of the patients referred to Kailali do not make it to the hospital alive.

“The hospital does not even have paracetamol,” said Tara Bahadur Pant of the hospital. While the pregnant women are the most affected, patients with tuberculosis and leprosy have also been deprived of their regular medicines.

Due to the absence of a doctor since last one year, more than a dozen pregnant women and infants from Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Doti, and other bordering districts have lost their lives.

Dhan Bahadur Bista, who runs a restaurant near the hospital, said that three pregnant women had died within a couple of months from his village due to the absence of medical personnel at the hospital. After Dr Prakash KC went on leave for a long time,

the hospital has been without a doctor.Due to the lack of manpower, the Sub Regional Hospital has been referring the patients to Kailali. “The figure of women dying in labour on the way and giving birth to stillborn infants may well be higher than those recorded,” said Sher Bahadur Sahu of Bidur-based sub-health post.

The health facility lies en route to Kailali. It has been offering medical attention to patients who are too weak to make it to Kailali. Most of the patients are pregnant mothers.   

Sahu said that the sub-health post has been doing its best to save the lives of both mother and child.

In a recent meeting organised by the Civil Society, the speakers claimed it was a mistake of the government to merge the two hospitals. They said at least the Team Hospital was performing well and offering vital medical services to the people.