As hospitals in Kathmandu Valley reel under a crippling shortage of medical supplies resulting from the border blockade, many of them are limiting the number of surgeries.

Gangalal Heart Centre and Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre are among the hospitals that have cut down on the number of surgeries citing logistical problems. Other health facilities are likely to follow suit as they also face shortages of life-saving drugs and medical supplies.

Dr Raamesh Koirala, senior surgeon at Gangalal Heart Centre, said he operated only on one patient on Monday, when he performed six operations on a normal day. Despite a drop in the number of patients coming in, the Centre is struggling to cater to their needs. The hospital has been using its stock from last year. Procurement process for this year was about to begin when India imposed a border blockade. “We are in the middle of a crisis,” said Dr Raamesh.

In meetings, the hospital administration urges its staff to limit patient inflow and surgeries in order to spare medicines and surgical appliances for emergency cases. The Manmohan Centre is facing a similar crisis. Senior heart surgeon Dr Bhagwan Koirala said the blockade has affected the services there.

“If the shortage persists, we will have problems even in delivering emergency services. Many lives that could otherwise be saved may be lost,” warned Dr Bhagwan. Deaths due to a lack of treatment or a patient’s access to hospital as a result of the fuel shortage, which are generally unaccounted for, could be a real issue, he said.

Doctors at Bir Hospital also fear serious repercussions of the blockade in the near future. “Delay in diagnosis or access to treatment could be dangerous,” said Dr Gopal Raman Sharma. Following the fuel crisis, the average number of people visiting the hospital each day has nearly halved.

Trending on Twitter

As the health sector struggles to deliver services, tweeteratis have begun a campaign to urge India to supply medicines to Nepal. A large number of social media users have taken to Twitter using the hashtag #SupplyMedicinesforNepal and urging immediate measures to end the crisis. Many have complained of the unavailability of life-saving medicines including adrenaline for their family members.

Managers call for measures

KATHMANDU: Hospital directors and doctors in the Valley urged Nepal Medical Association on Monday to build pressure on the government to manage the crisis.

In a meeting at the NMA office, hospital administrators voiced their concern that health services were gravely affected as basic medical supplies remain stuck across the border in India. The managers from government referral hospitals including Bir Hospital, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Patan Hospital, Gangalal Heart Centre and Maternity Hospital, Thapathali and authorities from private hospitals attended at the meeting.

Due to the fuel scarcity, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff were unable to report on time, affecting service delivery, hospital directors said. They requested the NMA to hold talks with the Indian Embassy to ease cross- border traffic and global medical associations to “internationalise” the crisis.