The Province 5 government has allocated Rs185 million in the first phase of upgrading the infrastructure at provincial hospitals.

The provincial Social Development Ministry has already allocated funds to three provincial hospitals and one ayurvedic hospital.

“Our responsibility is to equip our hospitals with the required infrastructure to provide quality health services for the people,” Mitramani Khanal, spokesperson for the ministry, told the Post.

A couple of days ago, the provincial Cabinet converted Lumbini Zonal Hospital, Rapti Zonal Hospital and Bheri Zonal Hospital, and the Regional Ayurveda Hospital, Dang into provincial hospitals.

After the upgradation, the hospitals are now named as Lumbini Provincial Hospital, Rapti Provincial Hospital, Bheri Provincial Hospital and Rapti Provincial Ayurveda Hospital.

“As the hospitals are now provincial hospitals, they should provide more quality services. They will soon be centres of treatment for all major diseases,” said Khanal.

The hospitals will renovate their buildings as required, new machinery will replace old ones and the hospitals will have their own waste management facilities. Of the Rs400 million required to upgrade the hospitals, the ministry has provided only a half of the total amount.

“The ministry will look after the investment in upgrading the health sector. If they invest in it properly, they will be provided with the remaining funds next year,” said Khanal, adding that the hospitals would also be equipped human resource.

The ministry has allocated Rs74.75 million for Lumbini Hospital, Rs72.08 million for Bheri Hospital, Rs33.6 million for Rapti Hospital and Rs5 million for the Rapti Ayurvedic Hospital.

The ministry said they will be focusing on upgrading provincial hospitals for two years and will invest in upgrading district hospitals later.