Health services in Mugu District Hospital have been affected due to a shortage of medical specialists. The district hospital, established 15 years ago, hasn’t been able to extend full-fledged medical services of late.

In the absence of medical specialists, the hospital has been referring patients—who are in need of specific surgeries—to other hospitals. The 15-bed hospital currently only has two MBBS doctors, who have been appointed on a contract basis.

Because of this dearth, patients are being forced to go to Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, in Jumla, Bheri Hospital in Nepalgunj or Karnali Provincial Hospital in Surkhet for treatment. Dr Mina Kafle Chaulagain, one of the doctors at the Mugu District Hospital, said that the hospital cannot take in patients who require complex surgeries and refer them to other hospitals.

The other doctor at the district hospital, Dr Dabal Malla, said that it is becoming tough to have medical specialists join the district hospital since most of them do not want to relocate to such a remote area. “It’s difficult to manage logistics, but we are doing what we can and undertaking only simple surgeries,” said Malla.

The District Hospital Management Committee, on the other hand, said that they are taking steps to fill the vacant positions soon. “We are going to upgrade the hospital to a 50-bed hospital and also bring in medical specialists,” said Parasmani Malla, chairman of the committee, adding that they are also facing difficulties for lack of a blood transfusion centre at the hospital.