For instance, 26-year-old Kopila Aryal of Butwal, who decided to give nature therapy a shot after being a victim of tethered spinal cord, has been able to sit and walk on her own without pain after 21 days of treatment at the health facility, without having to take any kind of medicines. A nurse by profession, she opted for a therapy as she had already gone through surgery for the same problem six years ago. “I used to kill my pain with the help of medicines but the therapy at the hospital helped me get rid of the medicines,” she said.

Similarly, Teb Bahadur and Kiran Pun are also seeking treatment at the hospital. While Teb Bahadur was struggling with multiple ailments, including hyper-tension, gastritis and constipation, Kiran was suffering from joint aches. Within 37 days of treatment, Teb Bahadur has been relieved off hyper-tension and his other ailments are coming under control. Likewise, Kiran’s joint ache has decreased relatively and she can now walk with much ease. “We spent tens of thousands in medical facilities and although late in our lives, we are grateful to have discovered this place,” Teb Bahadur said.

Presently, 42 patients are under treatment at the hospital. Generally, one patient returns after receiving treatment from one week to three months. “Most patients who come here comprise of those who have abandoned hope after failing to get rid of their ailments after trying every other alternative,” said Hari Sapkota, manager at the health facility.

Though patients queue up for treatment, we do not accept patients beyond our capacity, he said. Presently, 35 patients are on our waiting list, he said, adding that the hospital receives patients from all over the country and abroad too. According to Dr Binod Poudel, patients are treated using a variety of natural methods, including yoga, balanced diet, physio-therapy, acupuncture, mud and water treatment and massage. “We never use any kind of medicines,” he said. The hospital has been treating patients suffering from ulcers, piles, gastritis, tethered spinal cord, joint aches, headaches, arthritis, sinus, hyper-tension, diabetes, kidney-related diseases and obesity, among others.

Each patient has to pay Rs 600 per day for services that include treatment, food and accommodation cost and 3,697 patients have already received treatment from the hospital till date. Patients and their attendant are fed organic food and vegetables grown at the hospital premises that spread across over 10 bighas of land. The hospital has six doctors and 36 other staffers.

Meanwhile, the health facility is being expanded to accommodate 32 more patients with a generous donation of Rs 10 million from philanthropist Gauri Devi Pradhan of Narayngadh.

Sapkota said they plan to expand hospital to accommodate 300 patients within the next three years. He said they do not just want to limit the health facility just as a teaching hospital but plan to make it a pioneer university of natural therapy in the nation.